"Brother Su, is it always this tedious when you handle cases and track down intelligence?"

Having just left a small border town, Yu Ziqing couldn't help but ask.

This small town, like the one Yu Ziqing had previously entered, was almost in a state of semi-paralysis, and it also had a thatched hut area.

Moreover, this small town had already been visited by the High Priest of the White Sun Evil Cult, who took away a family they called the most devout from the thatched hut area.

These days, they had been tirelessly running around, and Yu Ziqing had learned a lot from Su Li, but the process of tracking down intelligence was truly tedious and dull.

Especially for a spy like Su Li, who didn't hold a high position, he was even more exhausted and didn't have any particularly valuable leads.

Proper high-level spies weren't even called spies; they were called Shadow Envoys. Some could even be openly known as members of a national envoy group, traveling to the Dazhen Capital City.

Valuable intelligence there was said to be abundant, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Unfortunately, Su Li had never been able to go to such places and couldn't go there now.

Over these days working with Yu Ziqing, he also started to realize some problems and increasingly felt that following Yu Ziqing's path might actually lead to some significant discoveries.

Even if it weren't for these findings, merely observing the group of three led by Yu Ziqing was a considerable harvest. He always felt that this guy who called himself Qing Ziyu was problematic.

Very strange, knowing a lot of obscure things yet not understanding many simple things. His actions were even stranger, unlike anyone else he had encountered.

But none of this mattered, as long as he could find significant intelligence and take revenge on the White Sun Evil Dao. If he could also find a way to restore his severed arm from Qing Ziyu, a method he could endure, then everything would be perfect.

Who Qing Ziyu used to be, Su Li felt was no longer important. At least now, he was his friend.

More than a month had passed.

They had traveled thousands of miles along the Southern Border of Dazhen, visiting dozens of cities, only to be shocked to discover that the White Sun Evil Cult had almost taken control of this entire line.

The underlying connections between Dazhen and Dali had almost all been severed by the White Sun Evil Dao.

Meanwhile, they had tracked down information that the border troops had been redirected by Dazhen's upper echelons.

Because there was internal unrest within Dazhen, which was divided into eastern and western parts. The West was almost vacant, with everyone active in the East. Now, for some unknown reason, there was civil unrest in the North and South of the East. The rebellion army came menacingly and clashed with Dazhen's Rebellion Army in the central part, creating chaos.

At this point, who paid attention to the White Sun Evil Dao wreaking havoc on civilians at the Southern Border?

Even though Su Li and Yu Ziqing had gathered countless low-level information and were almost certain that this time the White Sun Evil Cult was different from the last, they had been developing in secret for a long time.

Otherwise, there was no way they could secretly take control of the tens of thousands of miles of Dazhen's Southern Border and tens of cities in such a short time.

Now they only needed to change the flags on the city walls, and both in name and reality, they would have secured it, directly dividing territories.

This news probably wouldn't concern those in Dazhen who were busy fighting for power and gain.

Even if they did care, they wouldn't have the energy to deal with it. They might even lose the throne; who would then care about the Evil Dao traditionally only harming civilians?

Unless the White Sun Holy Mother publicly appeared and already possessed Eighth or Ninth Tier strength.

Su Li had communicated the gathered intelligence back to Dali, but there had been no response yet.

"Let's continue to investigate, find out where they took those believers they abducted. Something major is definitely going to happen."

...

Within the snow-covered mountains, numerous believers dressed in white robes walked on air, constantly entering a cave.

The cave interior had already been hollowed out, with space extending in all directions, extremely vast.

The sound of chanting transformed into whispers, permeating every inch of space here.

All the devout believers brought here had their own separate residences, with meals provided on time every day. Yet the conditions, good or bad, needed to be competed for by those believers. The most devout ones naturally received the best conditions, with the least devout being expelled every seven days.

Sister-in-law Li and Bai Gou were settled in a small courtyard, and they even had their own rooms.

Days passed, and their family never ended up in the last place, yet as more were eliminated and left to fend for themselves in the snow, they were just half a month away from reaching the last position themselves.

Sister-in-law Li's eyes were red, and when chanting, she no longer needed to look at the scriptures, reciting at all times, even while sleeping.

Bai Gou couldn't match Sister-in-law Li but also spent all his conscious moments chanting continuously.

Yet, despite this, their family remained teetering on the edge.

Bai Gou still couldn't understand, feeling there was no one more devout than their family. Why was it that every seven days, their family always ended up in the last position, precarious?

After the meal distribution ended, Bai Gou still liked squatting by the door, holding a bowl to eat. Only now, without that foolish companion, unable to see him enjoy the meal so much, even if the food was better, it just didn't taste as good.

After finishing his meal, just as he was about to head back, the High Priest, with a smiling face and warm expression, approached with his hands in his robe.

Bai Gou hurriedly made an awkward bow, and the High Priest responded with a warm smile, giving him a sliver of encouragement.

Bai Gou inexplicably gained some courage and called out.

"High Priest, sir."

"Oh, Bai Gou, is something the matter?" The High Priest's smile grew even warmer, dissipating some of Bai Gou's anxiety.

"High Priest, sir, may I ask a question?"

"Of course you can, it's my duty to resolve the doubts of the Holy Mother's believers."

"I... I want to ask, my mother even chants while sleeping. I never dare to slack off, serving the Holy Mother from the moment I open my eyes every day. Wh-why is our family always ranked at the back?"

Bai Gou felt anxious, thinking this was questioning the High Priest, but this doubt had troubled him for so long and made him more and more anxious.

"High Priest, sir, is our family not devout enough?"

The High Priest looked at him with a smile, reaching out to pat his head.

"Have you started hearing the Holy Mother's guidance?"

"So... sort of, I often hear someone chanting by my ear, but I don't know who."

"Then that's not your problem. You're a good child. Your devotion to the Holy Mother has been heard by the Holy Mother, and you've received her response."

Bai Gou understood the meaning of these words.

It was his mother's problem.

"But my mother is the most devout person here." Bai Gou grew a bit anxious, as in his view, this was the most undisputable point.

With a hint of pity in his eyes, the High Priest slowly said.

"Yes, your mother is the most devout person I've seen.

But her devotion is all to provide you and your family with food to fill your belly, warm clothes, and shelter from the wind.

She is the most devout, but not devout to the Holy Mother."

Bai Gou stood dumbly in place, not understanding, only comprehending the last sentence, feeling a huge shock.

But he also believed that this kindly, well-natured High Priest wouldn't lie to him.

By the time he came to his senses, the High Priest had already gone.

He returned home, despondent, watching his somewhat crazed, numb, chanting mother for a long time.

He didn't chant for half a day, yet the chanting sounds in his ears grew clearer.

The distraught expression on his face slowly faded, and his wandering gaze regained divine light, filled with determination.

He left the chanting Divine Hall, went to his mother's room, retrieved the blood-stained wooden spike, and walked step by step toward the Divine Hall.

As he walked, he murmured to himself, the determination in his eyes unwavering.

"Mother's devotion is not to the Holy Mother, which is wrong.

Our family is the most devout to the Holy Mother; no one can surpass us.

We offer everything, seeking nothing in return, not seeking mercy, only serving the Holy Mother.

Our family is the most devout.

I am the most devout..."

He walked into the Divine Hall and plunged the blood-stained wooden spike into his mother's back.

Blood gushed out, covering his hands. The chanting sound in his ears suddenly magnified, filled with soul-shaking power.

His eyes, stained by blood, could no longer see the complex look his mother had as she turned, nor could he see how she directly gave up resisting.

And at that moment, he began to chant.

The entire cavern resonated with his chanting, a madness within that was filled with solemnity, a sanctity not to be doubted.

Moments later, Bai Gou, gripping the wooden spike, stepped outside.

Outside the door, people were already kneeling respectfully, the High Priest standing there, holding a thorny crown with a smile.

And behind Bai Gou, at some undetermined time, his father, mother, sister, even all previously deceased family members appeared. They were prostrated, worshiping Bai Gou.

The High Priest stepped forward, placing the thorny crown upon Bai Gou's head.

Then he stepped back, respectfully falling to his knees, bowing with great ceremony, his face showing respect and joy.

The thorns of the crown pierced Bai Gou's scalp, digging into his skull. Despite the horrific pain, he didn't move, letting the blood flow down his face.

The blood stained the thorny crown red and then turned it a pure white.

The blood, like a stream, washed away everything on Bai Gou, his filth, his long hair, his stubble, his clothes, his rough skin...

Everything vanished, and the blood transformed into a long robe of crimson, draped over him.

Bai Gou slightly closed his eyes, his newly grown hair coiling into a topknot on its own. His face was like jade, skin as if carved from ice and snow, emitting a slight white glow, so beautiful it induced a sense of closeness yet commanded awe, daring not be approached.

Bai Gou slowly opened his eyes, and below, the High Priest immediately prostrated excitedly.

"This humble servant Liu Xin welcomes the Holy Mother."