Chapter 335: This Core Can Sever Karma! (Thanks to Nautiluses for the Alliance Leader Reward)

It felt rather improper to speak of a father’s patronizing of prostitutes right in front of his daughter.

Yet, the moment Li Haoran recalled how he had suffered from the torment of Qin Haoran’s memories, he cast his psychological burdens aside and began recounting Qin Haoran’s dark past.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou stole glances at Qin Yanyan, finding that she showed no signs of anger or disappointment.

Noticing their subtle glances, Qin Yanyan countered, "What are you two looking at me for? What kind of good person becomes a Demonic Cult leader? Could I not have anticipated this sort of thing?"

The two of them pondered for a moment and found her words quite reasonable.

It had slipped their minds entirely that they themselves were members of the Demonic Cult.

Li Haoran continued his tale: "Back then, before Qin Haoran became the Cult Leader, he would often spend whatever money he had, never saving a single coin. He lived strictly by the creed of enjoying wine today and worrying tomorrow."

"So, when he ran out of money, he would frequently sell his body—which is to say, he sold his blood."

"Of course, he possessed a sense of safety. Before selling his blood, he would erase all traces of himself from it. After all, there are spells that can place curses through blood, and Qin Haoran made sure to avoid that."

"When the leader before the previous one died of severe stress, Qin Haoran figured that the Nine Nether Cult had plenty of people and plenty of wealth. Once he became the Leader, wouldn't he be able to spend money exactly as he pleased?"

Dai Bufan gave a highly affirmative nod to the duo’s plan: "That is indeed good news. It seems the Nine Nether Cult will remain quiet for a while. By the way, you invited the Fifth Elder over; what identity did you arrange for him?"

The two made their way toward the Mission Hall.

"Yes," the Fifth Elder nodded.

It would be best to take a stroll around the cafeteria.

Qin Haoran explained: "Think about it. Regrowing severed limbs—if an arm is cut off, can it not grow a new one?"

Lu Yang felt that the current Nine Nether Cult Leader shared this exact mentality: believing that being the leader was a fine thing, only to discover upon taking the throne that it was a pure burden, and that whoever became leader suffered the worst luck imaginable.

To leave him with a direct result without any of the process would mean his tenure as the overseer of intelligence was an absolute failure.

"This time, we convinced the Nine Nether Cult that our Heavenly Court Cult was founded by ancient almighty beings. We seized the opportunity to reach a long-term strategic cooperation, opening barbecue shops together. We provide the technique, they provide the manpower; we take sixty percent of the profits, and they take forty."

"!!!"

The previous leader's money had all been swindled away? How could that be? It had always been their Demonic Cult swindling others; when was it ever someone else's turn to swindle them?

"If the head is chopped off, can a new one not grow?"

"I estimate that after some time, once they figure out a series of patterns for opening shops, the pace will accelerate. I believe we will soon establish a barbecue chain across the entire continent."

These were turbulent times; the fewer troubles there were, the better.

"However, this does involve karma after all. My realm is still unstable. Once my cultivation stabilizes, I might just be able to achieve that step."

"And by then, it was already too late to abdicate."

As they spoke, the flying shuttle returned to the Core Seeking Sect. The Fifth Elder carried Qin Haoran off to see the other elders and Yun Zhi, wanting them to check if there were any issues with Qin Haoran’s Golden Core formation.

"You swept away a series of obstacles, defeated your competitors, and achieved your heart's desire by becoming the Cult Leader, only to find that the Nine Nether Cult was not nearly as wealthy as you had imagined."

It must be that Qin Yanyan was lying!

"The Fifth Elder accompanied us on this trip, and we did absolutely nothing out of line!" Lu Yang first proclaimed his innocence.

To prevent such occurrences, he felt it necessary to understand what they had done every time they ventured out.

"How so?" Lu Yang had not expected that regrowing severed limbs could be connected to something as profoundly deep as "karma."

He constantly feared that one day, these two would cheerfully report to him, saying, 'Senior Brother Dai, great news! We have completely ruined the four great Demonic Cults.'

Dai Bufan managed the Core Seeking Sect's intelligence on behalf of the Great Elder. Every harvest Lu Yang and his companion brought back from their travels forced Dai Bufan to reorganize his information.

Lu Yang thought to himself that he truly deserved to be a ruthless character capable of becoming the Nine Nether Cult Leader; who could have anticipated such a move?

"Senior Brother Dai, were you looking for us?"

Dai Bufan breathed a sigh of relief: "That is well. Every time you two go out, you stir up a heap of trouble. I was terrified that one day you would nearly wipe out the Demonic Cults before I even knew what you had done."

"Yes," Meng Jingzhou nodded.

The current leader still could not speak the truth. Everyone would think that when Qin Yanyan was the leader, the Nine Nether Cult operated normally, so why did he claim it had no money the moment he took over? Where had the money gone?

"If a leg is broken, can a new one not grow?"

"Yes," Lu Yang nodded.

Lu Yang counted on his fingers: "The nine elders, plus Master, make ten people in total. We also plan to invite the Eldest Senior Sister to be the Cult Leader. At any rate, the Heavenly Court Cult claims to be a colossal power that covers the sky with a single hand; having such a configuration shouldn't be excessive."

With a bit of thought, Lu Yang could imagine just how despondent Qin Haoran must have been at that time:

Due to this reason, after Qin Yanyan became the leader, he could only alter his style, discard his previous habits, and honestly develop... or rather, maintain the Nine Nether Cult.

"Yes," Li Haoran nodded.

Li Haoran replied earnestly: "One of the Eight Great Protectors of the Heavenly Court Cult, the Heavenly King of Many Treasures."

Dai Bufan stretched his neck slightly: "Oh, the Heavenly King of Many Treasures. That is quite a decent title; the Fifth Elder will surely like it... Wait, the Eight Great Protectors? Where did the Eight Great Protectors come from?"

Lu Yang harbored a doubt: by what means did the current leader earn money? Was he emulating Qin Yanyan’s loans?

"My young niece, you stay here at the Hundred Refinements Peak. The two of us shall take our leave for a moment." Lu Yang suggested that Meng Jingzhou first cultivate at the Hundred Refinements Peak, or wander around to experience the local customs and culture of the Core Seeking Sect.

"Can the torso and the internal organs not grow anew?"

Qin Haoran felt his Golden Core was rather excellent. Not only was it helpful in battle, but it could also dispel karma, truly living up to the word "Rebirth."

They surely hadn't done anything bad on their trip, right?

...

Qin Haoran flashed a slight smile and asked: "If the head, the torso, and the limbs have all grown anew, then does this not mean I have completely replaced my entire body from top to bottom?"

"So you intend to induct all the high-level figures of our sect into your Heavenly Court Cult?!"

"Am I still the original me?"