The Rich Cultivator

Chapter 785: 785. Malsi Cult

Tyler raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Were there supposed to be additional attacks?"

"Yes."

"Our intelligence suggests they prepared two flying ships."

"The second one retreated after seeing the first attack fail."

Tyler nodded slightly.

"Did we capture any members?"

The subordinate hesitated.

"Not directly."

"They’re operating openly."

"They’ve begun spreading news everywhere, declaring that the White Merchant Group has become an enemy of the Malsi Cult."

Tyler’s mouth twitched.

"So they’ve publicly announced it..."

That actually explained everything.

The Malsi Cult wasn’t merely another sect. It was a massive religious organization spread across multiple kingdoms. They claimed to worship a mysterious deity known as None-ah.

Officially, they preached salvation.

Unofficially...

Everyone knew their true nature. Massacres. Forced conversions. Kidnappings. Slavery. Terrorist attacks. Assassinations.

They accepted almost any mission as long as someone paid enough— or if it advanced their beliefs.

Among the countless organizations across the continent, few possessed a reputation as infamous as theirs.

The Dark Forest Society had clashed with them for generations.

The reason was surprisingly simple.

The Dark Forest Society frequently excavated ancient graves, researched corpses, and studied undead cultivation techniques.

To the Malsi Cult...

Such practices were blasphemous.

Although neither side had launched an all-out war, countless bloody conflicts had occurred over the centuries.

Tyler slowly looked toward the burning remains of the destroyed flying ship.

"...Still."

He tapped his fingers thoughtfully.

"Religious hatred alone isn’t enough..The Malsi Cult rarely spends this much effort unless someone is paying them."

His eyes narrowed.

"Someone wants the White Merchant Group gone."

There were already several possible suspects.

The traditional flying boat manufacturers had every reason to hate him.

Some formation master associations had suffered tremendous losses after his encryption book spread across the continent.

The White Merchant Group’s rapid rise had also offended countless merchant families.

Tyler slowly smiled.

"It doesn’t matter who hired them."

"They’ve already made the first move."

"And now... They’ve given me a reason to make mine. But I will just wait for their next move... Because I don’t want to insta kill them immediately."

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

Inside a lavish mansion hidden deep within the headquarters of the Malsi Cult, loud music echoed through the halls.

The grand chamber was filled with extravagant decorations, expensive carpets, and golden lanterns that bathed everything in a warm glow. Men dressed in colorful women’s clothing danced gracefully across the room while wealthy guests laughed, cheered, and tossed handfuls of spirit stones and gold coins toward the performers. Others, dressed in bizarre outfits resembling masked raiders, clapped along to the music as if celebrating some grand festival.

The entire scene was one of complete excess.

A hooded man walked through the hall without sparing the festivities a second glance. His expression carried nothing but disgust as he passed the laughing crowd.

He continued toward the innermost chamber of the mansion.

Unlike the noisy hall outside, this room was silent.

Several attendants dressed in long black robes with veils respectfully served food and wine to a middle-aged man reclining on an ornate couch. The man wore luxurious robes embroidered with golden thread. A thick beard covered most of his face, though his upper lip remained cleanly shaven.

The hooded visitor stopped before him.

Removing his hood, he revealed the stern face of Elder Fan from the Sun Dial Sect.

"It seems you’re enjoying yourself despite your failure, Sain."

The bearded man smiled calmly.

"Welcome, Elder Fan."

He gestured toward the empty seat across from him.

"Victory and defeat are both decided by Almighty None-ah. We merely play the roles assigned to us."

Elder Fan frowned.

"Enough with your religious sermons."

His voice became noticeably colder.

"I paid your organization to bring down the White Dragon Tower. But It’s still standing."

Sain merely chuckled.

"My, my... such impatience."

He lifted a hand.

"Please, sit first. A guest should never remain standing."

Although visibly annoyed, Elder Fan took his seat.

One of the attendants silently placed several expensive dishes and a cup of fragrant spiritual tea before him before retreating without saying a word.

Elder Fan glanced toward the veiled attendants before looking back toward the noisy celebration outside.

He had interacted with the Malsi Cult for years, yet he still couldn’t understand their customs.

Within their faith, women were expected to remain completely covered in public and rarely spoke unless addressed. Their identities were hidden beneath veils, and strict rules governed nearly every aspect of their daily lives.

Meanwhile, the men outside openly celebrated, danced, and indulged themselves without restraint.

The contradiction had never made sense to him.

Fortunately...

He wasn’t here to understand their beliefs.

He was here for results.

"I don’t care about your customs," Elder Fan said bluntly, "I want Tyler White dead."

Sain slowly nodded.

"Naturally."

He took a sip of tea before speaking again.

"Our first attempt failed. I underestimated the defensive formations protecting the White Dragon Tower. That mistake won’t happen again."

Elder Fan folded his arms.

"So?"

"So..."

A faint smile appeared beneath Sain’s beard.

"We’ve changed our approach."

He gently clapped twice.

The heavy wooden doors slowly opened.

A young woman wearing a black robe entered the room.

Her face remained hidden behind a delicate veil, and every movement she made was calm and disciplined. She walked to the center of the room before respectfully kneeling.

"This is Zara."

Sain looked at her with satisfaction.

"She has spent years preparing for missions that require patience rather than brute force."

"She has mastered etiquette, music, conversation, disguise, and the art of earning another person’s trust."

"Our investigation suggests Tyler White has a fondness for beautiful women."

"So..."

"We intend to use that weakness."

Elder Fan examined the kneeling woman for a long moment.

"You expect her to infiltrate the White Merchant Group?"

Sain nodded.

"Not exactly."

"She will infiltrate Tyler’s Bed."

"Open his lust, Gain his body. If necessary, become his little lover."

"When the opportunity presents itself..." His eyes became cold, "She will eliminate him."

The room fell silent.

Elder Fan leaned back in his chair.

"That’s your grand plan?"

"It sounds overly simplistic."

"Simple plans often succeed where complicated ones fail," Sain replied with a smile.

"Assassination isn’t always about strength. Sometimes... It’s about patience."

Elder Fan continued observing Zara.

She remained perfectly still throughout the conversation.

No nervousness. Nor.hesitation. Nor emotion.

Almost like a carefully crafted puppet waiting for instructions.

Finally, Elder Fan stood.

"I don’t care how you do it. I only care about the result."

"If Tyler White survives again... You’ll find the Sun Dial Sect far less patient than I have been today."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked toward the exit.

Just before he reached the door, Sain spoke again.

"Elder Fan."

The elder paused but didn’t turn around.

"Have you ever considered joining the Malsi Cult? Our followers receive many privileges..You’d find our organization... quite generous to those who devote themselves to None-ah. For example, we can nurture some Little girls into your taste, you can get them delivered when they had their first period."

Elder Fan’s face twisted with disgust. He knows that most of the women in this cult gets married to someone older as soon as they got their first period.

"I’d rather cultivate alone for the rest of my life."

Without another word, he left the room.

The heavy doors slowly closed behind him.

Silence returned.

Sain watched the entrance for several moments before letting out a quiet sigh.

Then he turned toward the kneeling woman.

The cold expression on his face gradually softened.

"My great-granddaughter..."

His voice carried a hint of regret.

"I’m sorry that I’ve placed this burden upon your shoulders."

Zara finally raised her head.

Although her face remained hidden beneath the veil, her voice was calm and devoid of emotion.

"If it is your order... I will carry it out. There is no need to apologize."

Sain closed his eyes briefly.

He had personally overseen Zara’s upbringing from childhood, training her in countless skills that would allow her to survive dangerous missions.

He was nurturing her for her cousin.

Instead... He was sending her into the lion’s den.

After a long silence, he spoke once more.

"Listen carefully. You are not to kill Tyler White immediately."

Zara remained motionless.

Sain smiled faintly.

"He’s an extraordinary man. People like him inevitably create enemies. The more successful he becomes... The more powerful those enemies will be."

He slowly stroked his beard.

"Eventually, someone will place an enormous bounty on his life. When that day comes... The rewards for eliminating him will be far greater than what we’ve been paid today."

His smile widened slightly.

"So be patient. Win his trust. Stay close to him. And wait for orders."

Only then did Zara lower her head once more.

"I understand."

Outside, the sounds of music and celebration continued without pause.

Inside the quiet chamber, however, a far more dangerous game had just begun.

Neither Elder Fan nor Sain realized that Tyler White was far more suspicious than either of them imagined.

And if Zara made even a single mistake...

She might discover that the hunter and the prey were not who they appeared to be.