At the other side of the Abyssal Forest, the Poison Demon Cult's messenger who rushed from the stronghold to the main temple of the cult had finished his mission and on his way back into the heart of the forest, bearing the response from the Venom Masters of the Venomous Conclave; the council consisting of the seven cult's branch leaders. In a normal sect, they're equivalent to Elders with powerful enough influence to ensure that the High Priest wouldn't lead the cult in a destructive direction.
The messenger's figure flickered between the dense foliage, his movements almost ghostlike, a testament to years of rigorous training as an Acolyte of the Poison Demon Cult.
He did not need to see the path. He already knew it as he had been working as the cult's messenger for many years.
Every twisted root and gnarled tree ingrained in his instincts. Yet despite his usual unwavering focus, his mind was in turmoil.
The response from the Venom Masters sat heavily within his spatial pouch. A single jade talisman used to record voices and encrypted with their authority. It was supposed to be given by the three Venom Masters who were currently stationed at the main temple.
He had not dared to peek at its contents even if he knew how to unlock it. Such an act would be a slow and excruciating death sentence. However, he had this unsettling feeling when he received the task to deliver it back in the break of dawn from one of the three Venom Masters.
It's like he had been sent out sneakily, preventing the other two Venom Masters stationed at the main temple from catching wind of this response.
Venom Master Xun, the Venom Master of the Arachnid Branch, a woman known for her cold precision, had given him the talisman in a manner that was just a little too… quiet. A little too secretive. The usual ceremonial procedure was absent. No grand proclamation, no gathered witnesses. Just a curt nod and a simple, "Deliver this to the High Priest. Do not fail."
He had thought nothing of it at first. Perhaps time was of the essence. But the more he traveled, the more his paranoia gnawed at him.
Because if this truly was the formal response from the Venomous Conclave, why only one of the three present had spoken?
The Venom Masters were not known for their flexibility. The Poison Demon Cult had operated for more than a century under a simple philosophy: Take. Corrupt. Dominate. The idea of abandoning conquest for commerce was… absurd. Heretical, even.
And yet, it was a decree from the High Priest himself. A man who had led them through fire and blood, through betrayals and uprisings, all in the name of the Great Poison Demon. If he saw wisdom in restraint, then even the most devout zealots had to at least listen.
The messenger could not shake the creeping suspicion that the Venom Master's response might not be aligned to what the other Venom Masters think. She may be convinced but the others who had been sitting in power for so long do not like the difference in direction.
His unease grew as he continued on his way, darting through the Abyssal Forest.
The damp air was thick with the scent of rot, blooming venomous flora and demonic energy. His moss-green robes blended seamlessly with the surroundings, but the weight of the jade talisman in his spatial pouch seemed to pull at him, as if it carried a presence of its own.
The forest was unnaturally quiet, the usual noises of shrieking beasts and rustling leaves were replaced by an oppressive stillness. It felt like the trees themselves were holding their breath, waiting for something to unfold.
Every rustle of the trees felt like a whisper of betrayal, every shadow a potential assassin sent to silence him before he could deliver the message.
He couldn't help but wonder. What if Venom Master Xun acted alone?
The thought sent a chill down his spine. The Venomous Conclave exists to balance the decision-making power of the High Priests. Each branch leader was fiercely protective of their domain and ensured that any decision would not be detrimental to them.
If Xun had issued a response without the consent of her peers - Venom Master Gao of the Serpent Branch and Venom Master Kang of the Scorpion Branch - it could fracture the cult entirely. Discord had happened before but never to the point that one of them went rogue .
The messenger's grip tightened on the hilt of his concealed dagger, a reflex born from years of navigating the cult's treacherous and dangerous politics.
He might not be a Priest aligned with someone yet but he wasn't a fool. He knew the Venom Masters were as likely to poison each other as they were to secure their interests.
And if Venom Master Xun's message could be different from what the other Venom Masters, he had to be careful of his surroundings or he might not live long enough to see the stronghold again.
As he thought that, he pulled something from his spatial pouch. A packet of Energy Replenishing Candies and a Card Talisman Pack.
He popped one candy in his mouth before activating a basic card talisman, enhancing his speed in order to lose the one tailing him in case he truly had someone chasing after him.
Back at the stronghold, Luo Ming stood before the gathered cultists, his voice steady as he continued relaying the High Priest's orders.
A day has already passed since he sent out the messenger, the response should be arriving soon.
The atmosphere within the stronghold had been weird ever since the order came down, the faint clatter of discarded packets and talismans underscoring the absurdity of their situation.
These were warriors of the Great Poison Demon, hardened by sacrifice and slaughter, yet here they were, clutching half-eaten snacks like children caught in a reverie.
"Pack your belongings," Luo Ming commanded, his tone tolerating no argument. "We depart for the main temple by tomorrow. The High Priest has decreed it."
A low murmur rippled through the ranks. An Acolyte, his face smeared with the residue of some shimmering syrup, stepped forward hesitantly. "Priest Luo… are we truly abandoning the conquest? After we lost all those corrupted demonic beasts? The Divine Convenience Store… Surely it's just a trick, a temptation to test our faith right?"
Luo Ming's jaw tightened. He understood the doubt. He felt it himself. But the High Priest's words and the undeniable power of the store's wares left little room for defiance.
"The Great Poison Demon has spoken through the High Priest," He answered, his voice cutting through the murmurs like a sharp blade. "Our path now lies not in continued bloodshed, but in… adaptation. Question it if you dare, but do not question me."
The Acolyte shrank back as he bowed his head, munching on another piece of Potato Chips. The others fell silent. However, their eyes betrayed their unease.
Luo Ming turned away. Naturally, his own doubts were still gnawing at him. Adaptation. The word tasted foreign on his tongue, a bitter pill wrapped in the sweetness of those damn breadsticks.
As Luo Ming dismissed the cultists to prepare for their departure, he couldn't shake the lingering distress in the air.
The stronghold was once a fortress of unwavering purpose. Now, it felt like a house divided.
The High Priest's decree had upended everything they'd known and while the divine products from the store offered undeniable power, they also sowed seeds of doubt.
He glanced at the empty wrappers and scattered talismans littering the ground. They served as a reminder of how deeply the Divine Convenience Store had already infiltrated their ranks.
'No. It changed the moment I brought him those samples. I… I'm also the reason this happened.' Luo Ming bitterly smiled at himself.
He made his way back to the High Priest's chamber, the weight of his own uncertainty pressing against his chest.
Another breadstick packet was still tucked into his robe, its contents half-eaten but somehow still calling to him. He resisted the urge to take another bite, knowing it would only cloud his judgment further. The High Priest had spoken of adaptation, of transactions. However, Luo Ming couldn't fully reconcile that with the blood-soaked legacy of their cult. Was this truly the will of the Great Poison Demon, or had the High Priest been seduced by the store's divine allure?