Upon returning to the Viscount's estate, Buck Frank underwent a drastic change in demeanor, becoming surprisingly subdued. This shift was like a blazing sun suddenly being obscured by dark clouds, leaving those around him bewildered. The commoners with unmarried daughters couldn't help but gossip, fearful that the once-dreaded young master might be plotting something sinister once again. After all, in their eyes, Buck Frank had always been a ruthless and wicked person.

  The young noblemen who had once called Buck Frank their close friend were equally puzzled. The young master had turned down all invitations to parties, something he had once loved. Even more unbelievable was that he refused to continue his previous enjoyment of bringing common girls onto the stage for entertainment. Whenever the young nobles gathered, they discussed this strange behavior, wondering what had happened to Buck. Could it be that he had fallen seriously ill and his personality had completely changed?

  In truth, Buck Frank was not ill. To be precise, the old Buck had died. The soul that inhabited his body now was a completely different one, and the new Buck found himself in a place the old Buck would never have dared to visit—a small chapel atop a hill. When the clergy saw Buck arrive, they turned pale, trembling uncontrollably. They feared that the infamous young master might suddenly order the destruction of this sacred place.

  However, to their surprise, Buck did not act recklessly. Instead, he behaved with unusual reverence. It was as though he was a weary traveler, a pilgrim who had journeyed far to visit a holy site, though with an air of dominance. As soon as he entered the chapel, he ordered the other people inside to leave. He then walked alone to the inner sanctum, where he knelt before the statue of the Goddess of the Sun, closed his eyes, and began to pray devoutly.

  The state religion of the Goliath Empire worships both the Sun and Moon gods. However, three hundred years ago, the Moon god perished, leaving only the Sun goddess to watch over humanity. The state religion was subsequently renamed the Church of Light. The statue before Buck was that of the Sun goddess. Her face was serene, her gaze gentle, as if she were watching over all the creatures of the world. Buck was so devout because he had discovered that perhaps the gods in this world truly possessed extraordinary power. From the moment he stepped into the chapel, an extraordinary sensation filled him. The evil spirit within him seemed to encounter its nemesis and was subdued by an invisible force. All the curses, all the tortures, and the voices whispering in his ears diminished significantly. It felt as though a ray of light had pierced through the dark abyss, bringing him a sense of warmth and reassurance.

  "Merciful Goddess of the Sun..." Buck's eyes filled with tears. He couldn't help but fall to the ground before the statue. At that moment, if the Sun goddess had truly stood before him, he would have kissed her feet without hesitation, to express his gratitude and reverence.

  Unfortunately, as is often the case, good moments are fleeting. The warmth he felt soon began to fade. Buck couldn't help but feel disappointed. He speculated that perhaps the goddess sensed the blasphemous thought in his heart, or perhaps the evil spirits realized that the statue was merely an empty shell, and so their torment surged back once again. With a sigh of resignation, he left the chapel. He knew that while the gods might indeed be able to save him, it was clear that the deity in this small chapel could not solve his problems.

  This was merely a detour for Buck. His true goal lay beyond the chapel, in the cemetery behind it. During his days back at the Viscount's estate, he had been secretly searching for the cultists he had previously encountered. Although the group he had led into the valley had all perished, he knew these bloodthirsty fanatics did not stop at just those few. In the underground of the Viscount's estate, there were still many of them, and their power was supported by certain noble families. The old Buck Frank had been one of these nobles. The reason these nobles provided funding was simple: they needed the cultists to carry out their dark deeds.

  Take Buck Frank, for example. The ritual he had spent a fortune on was meant to secretly acquire some extraordinary power to kill his father, Hein Frank. However, the new Buck no longer cared for the petty struggles within the Viscount's family. His focus was now firmly fixed on the cult. Finding these cultists was no easy task, but Buck had an acute sense of smell. By tracking some financial transactions and utilizing his connections in the "underground world," he soon pinpointed the location of the cult gathering. To his surprise, it was located beneath the cemetery behind the chapel.

  As one of the major backers of the Blood God cult, Buck, uninvited, was not turned away by the cultists. After confirming that he was alone, the cultists, though cautious, led him underground to meet the esteemed "High Priest." The stench of decay filled the air in the underground crypt, nauseating him. Inside, many ordinary people were bound and suffering. Their fates were tragic—some had fallen into a deep, fearful sleep, unaware of the nightmares awaiting them; others were still crying out in despair, their voices heart-wrenching, as though trying to break free from the dark prison. But to the cultists, these cries were like beautiful "music," filling them with excitement and satisfaction.

  Naturally, the cult's gathering could not proceed without a bloody sacrifice. The sun had not yet set, and the light of the Sun goddess still illuminated the world. Therefore, the sacrificial ritual had not yet begun... but it was coming soon. The impending scene of bloodshed hung like a dark cloud over the innocent victims.

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  Buck tore his gaze away from the pitiable figures and, forcing back his anger and sympathy, silently followed the cultists into the depths of the crypt.

  "Distinguished guest, Lord Buck Frank, it's a pleasure to see you," a voice came from the front. The high priest of the Blood God Cult, cloaked in a thick black robe and hood, slowly approached. From his appearance, he seemed to be a kindly old man with a white beard, wearing a gentle smile that gave off a friendly vibe. However, no one knew that beneath this amiable exterior hid a heart full of cruelty and madness. In reality, he was a demon who devoured people.

  "High Priest..." Buck gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. After the other cultists left, he sat across from the high priest at a wooden table lit by an oil lamp. The dim, flickering light from the lamp cast eerie shadows on their faces, adding to the sinister atmosphere of the scene.

  "I've come to talk to you about the ceremony last time," Buck said without hesitation.

  The high priest narrowed his eyes, a knowing smile spreading across his face. He looked into Buck's cold eyes and felt an inexplicable chill, as if the gaze could pierce through his body and see into his soul. However, being the high priest of the Blood God Cult with years of experience and strong psychological resilience, he maintained his calm demeanor, trying to keep up the mysterious and wise air.

  "My lord, as far as I know, that ceremony failed..." the high priest spoke softly.

  "Yes," Buck responded briefly.

  "Was it because of the monster's attack?" the high priest asked further.

  "Yes... but I don't intend to pursue it anymore," Buck's tone carried a sense of finality.

  The high priest's lips twitched slightly, secretly cursing in his mind, "You're not going to pursue it? We lost so many people, and I still want to investigate!" Of course, he didn't dare say this aloud. He knew that this young master was crucial to the Blood God Cult, and with his presence, the cult could continue to quietly develop in the territory of the Viscount. Therefore, he had to give this young master enough respect.

  "Then, Lord Buck, would you like..." The high priest began to speak, but Buck interrupted him.

  "I came here to ask you some questions," Buck said coldly, "About that arm used as a sacrifice and the twin slave girls you captured, can you tell me more about them?"

  "This..." The old man hesitated, a troubled expression appearing on his face. "Actually, I'm not sure about their origins. Those were items that came from the black market in the north, you know..."

  "I want to hear the truth," Buck's tone grew firmer, and his eyes radiated an undeniable authority.

  The high priest suddenly felt a tremendous pressure, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on him. Even the oil lamp on the table seemed to dim under this pressure.

  "My lord, I am not lying to you, and I have no reason to lie. Anything used in the Blood God's ceremony is carefully selected by us. Although the arm's origin is unclear, it contains genuine mysterious power, making it an excellent core material for the ritual..." The high priest quickly explained.

  "Enough." Buck shook his head, feeling that the other party might truly know no more.

  "I have another question. About the hunter Viddens, and the Flame of the Evil God, what do you know?" This was another goal of his. Viddens' fire left a deep impression on him, and he knew that kind of power was not something an ordinary church hunter possessed. Viddens must have connections with other dark forces.

  The high priest laughed, as if he could answer this question.

  "Hunter Viddens is an experienced old hunter. Unfortunately, he has never been able to complete the second-tier promotion ceremony in the church, perhaps because he realized how false his faith was. But our great Dark Lord accepted him, made him a servant of the Evil God Scott, and allowed him to successfully complete the promotion ceremony..." The high priest said with great enthusiasm.

  "What is the promotion ceremony?" Buck pressed.

  "It's like the ceremony you're preparing for the Blood God. Once you accept the Blood God's power, you will receive the apostle granted by the Blood God and share in the spiritual energy. The promotion will grant you even more spiritual energy and stronger power from the apostle..." The high priest explained, his face glowing with pride.

  After hearing the high priest's explanation, Buck nodded to himself. So, in order to increase his spiritual energy, he needed to undergo deeper ceremonies. No wonder he had always had a pitiful 100 spiritual energy points. Those hunters probably had much higher energy... But then he thought, he didn't actually need these. After all, life energy could replace spiritual energy. As for performing a ritual to enhance the evil spirits? He certainly didn’t want to suffer any more torment.

  "Lord Buck, we can prepare another sacrificial ceremony for you at any time. Rest assured, this time, I will personally preside over it to ensure you can smoothly enter the embrace of the great Blood God!" The high priest said with a tempting expression, his eyes gleaming with greed.

  "A ceremony?" Buck glanced at him, slowly standing up, a disdainful smile appearing on his face. "I don't need those anymore."

  The high priest was stunned, his face filled with surprise. "My lord, are you seeking the power of someone like Viddens? It's not impossible, but..."

  "No, I don't need your pathetic power..." Buck grinned, his voice soft but cold. "I am invincible."

  As soon as the words left his mouth, a loud crash echoed through the room. A deep green, monstrous claw suddenly appeared, tearing through the wooden table between them with the force of a thunderstrike. The five claws were razor-sharp, gleaming with cold light, like five venomous snakes, each of them piercing into the high priest's chest. The high priest's body trembled violently, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

  The old man widened his eyes, filled with terror and disbelief, staring at the monstrous hand that had pierced through him. He never expected that this young master, who had always cooperated with the Blood God Cult, would suddenly strike at him.

  Then, another pale, human-like arm, resembling a human limb, emerged from Buck's back. It had six long fingers, each with dark, ominous nails. This strange hand slowly pressed down on the high priest’s horrified, desperate gaze, gently caressing his forehead...

  The Arm of the Heretic, the Touch of the Fool. The last bit of the high priest's resistance was instantly snuffed out, and he fell into a dazed, near-death state.

  "I ask you..." Buck leaned over, his voice low and cold as he whispered in the high priest's ear, "Who paid the price for Viddens' ceremony?"