Chapter 266: Chapter 142: At the Zenith, the Greatest Influence in Qinghe Prefecture City

After a moment of silent confrontation, the boyish-looking Red Ape took a step forward and spoke to the leader of the mysterious faction. "We’ve received your invitation. Now, tell us about your plan."

"There’s nothing much to say." The Cultivator standing before the group of Cultists was extravagantly dressed and exuded an air of nobility. He wore a pure white mask.

In response to Red Ape’s question, he stated calmly, "You just need to follow the original plan. In the Star River Secret Vault, hunt the True Disciples of the six Major Sects, as well as the ordinary Cultivators summoned by Prince Qinghe."

"Our Salvation Society will use our prior arrangements to transport all of Prince Qinghe’s Commandery Princes and the Commandery Princess into the Secret Vault. When that happens, you just need to kill them along with the others."

These words made Red Ape’s eyes narrow. Even he had never imagined before coming here that, beyond Youtan Heaven’s own plan, someone else was orchestrating an even more audacious conspiracy.

His mind raced, but it didn’t stop him from speaking. "Heh. Do this, and Prince Qinghe will go completely mad and hunt us to the death."

In response to Red Ape’s words, the leader of the self-proclaimed Salvation Society remained perfectly calm. "But that’s of no concern to you, is it? You’re already wanted by the Frost Moon Immortal Dynasty. What difference does one more Prince Qinghe make?"

"That may be true," Red Ape said, "but without sufficient profit, even we won’t take on a losing proposition. You want us to make a move? Fine. Give us a better offer."

"Amitabha Buddha..." After Red Ape finished, a Buddhist mantra was recited. Then, the Mage of the Ten Thousand Heads King Buddha, wearing a seemingly benevolent smile, slowly addressed the man in the pure white mask. "Heh heh. You’ve gone to such great lengths. If this old monk is not mistaken, your Salvation Society must be cooperating with one of Prince Qinghe’s Commandery Princes, yes? No, that’s not quite right. It would be more accurate to say... you’ve already turned a Commandery Prince into your puppet."

"Eliminating Ji Qinghui, Ji Qingkang, and Ji Qingyue is all to ensure your puppet’s smooth ascension... ’Steal a state and become a lord,’ as they say. You’re certainly playing for high stakes. But if you expect us to lift a finger, you’ll need to show a bit more sincerity."

The Mage’s words made the members of the Salvation Society frown, but the man in the pure white mask offered no rebuttal. He simply asked calmly, "What do you want?"

"Once you control the Qinghe Commandery Mansion, I want a region to establish a Buddhist kingdom on earth. And before that, I want ten thousand living sacrifices. Don’t tell me you can’t do it. Judging by your attire, all of you come from prominent families. Gathering ten thousand living sacrifices should be a trivial matter for people like you."

Faced with the demand from the Mage of the Ten Thousand Heads King Buddha, the leader of the Salvation Society agreed without the slightest hesitation.

After him, Red Ape and the representative from the Tuberculosis Lineage also spoke up, demanding their own compensation.

As members of Evil Cults, they lived up to the world’s impression of them. All of them demanded human lives to offer as livestock to their Evil Gods. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

In response, the members of the Salvation Society simply nodded, agreeing to all the terms.

The fact that the other party agreed so readily set off alarm bells in the minds of Red Ape and Skinny Shadow Guest (the Chief Priest of the Tuberculosis Lineage), making them thoroughly vigilant.

Thus, after they had settled on the terms of their cooperation, Skinny Shadow Guest couldn’t resist asking between coughs,

"COUGH, COUGH... There is one thing I’m very curious about, and I hope you all can enlighten me. COUGH, COUGH..."

"You treat your own kinsmen like livestock to be bought and sold at will... COUGH, COUGH... Why would people like you name your organization the ’Salvation Society’? COUGH, COUGH..."

Skinny Shadow Guest’s question instantly soured the expression of the man in the pure white mask.

But just as Red Ape and Skinny Shadow Guest thought they had struck a nerve,

they discovered they were wrong. Utterly and completely wrong. The source of the masked man’s anger was not what they had assumed at all.

"Kinsmen? Hmph. Are those lowly mud-legs even worthy of being compared to our noble selves!"

After refuting Skinny Shadow Guest, the man in the pure white mask slowly revealed the true origin of the name "Salvation Society."

"We do, of course, wish to save the world. It’s just... you should understand the terror of the coming cataclysm better than anyone. After all, your worlds were..."

Noticing the sudden change in expression on the faces of Red Ape and the others, the leader of the Salvation Society didn’t linger on the topic. He quickly changed his tune, "Sensing the impending cataclysm, the clear-headed among us realized it would be absolutely impossible to save everyone."

"To scatter our forces and distribute resources on a massive scale would not only be a tremendous waste, it would place us in a position of irrecoverable peril! Therefore, the only correct course of action is to abandon the worthless peasants in the remote regions, preserving only humanity’s elite and concentrating all resources for our—the elite’s—use."

"As long as we survive, the flame of humanity is preserved."

At this, the man in the pure white mask spoke with heartfelt conviction, "We are the true saviors. We will do whatever it takes to ensure the survival of humanity."

"..."

These words left Red Ape and Skinny Shadow Guest somewhat speechless.

Clearly, in their eyes, the common people were the "whatever it takes."

’No, that’s not quite right. In their minds, it must be an honor for those worthless commoners to sacrifice everything for their noble bloodlines.’

And Prince Qinghe was also part of that price.

’Hmm... Prince Qinghe’s approach is to rally the Cultivators under his banner, form an alliance, and distribute resources downward. He’s trying to protect as many people as he can, but that path runs completely contrary to the Salvation Society’s scheme.’

’Furthermore, from their perspective, giving precious resources to common Cultivators is an enormous waste. That’s why they see Prince Qinghe as a villain and want him eliminated.’

Having figured all this out, Red Ape, though still a little speechless, no longer felt any aversion to the operation.

...

Youtan Heaven wanted to sow discord between the six Major Sects and Prince Qinghe’s Mansion, but the Salvation Society, hiding in the shadows, went a step further. They audaciously plotted to eliminate all of Prince Qinghe’s exceptional children and install a puppet in power.

And Zhong Ming remained completely oblivious to all these treacherous, complex conspiracies.

At that moment, he and a group from the Seven Profound Sect were walking toward the brilliantly illuminated and magnificent Prince Qinghe’s Mansion.

As he walked, a faint sense of anticipation grew in Zhong Ming’s heart.

’My fortunes, my very honor, are now inextricably linked with the interests of Prince Qinghe’s Mansion. So, even if only for his own sake, Prince Qinghe will surely do everything in his power to help me succeed... I wonder what kind of grand gift he’ll have for me this time.’