The End of the Five Gods Cult

The sound of orderly footsteps and clashing armor – the soldiers from the training grounds south of the city were mobilizing, and the previously noisy streets fell silent.

Portraits were plastered up, covering a large area on and around the city gate.

They were wanted posters for important members of the Five Gods Cult, nearly netting the entire organization. It looked like they had been prepared for a long time.

An officer, wearing a saber at his waist and a helmet and armor, stood on a high platform and shouted to everyone below.

"By imperial decree, the divine title of True Lord Xuanzhu Huode is abolished as of today. No one within the city is allowed to worship any deity of the Five Gods Cult. All temples of the Five Gods Cult are to be destroyed. All disciples of the Five Gods Cult are considered rebels and will be executed without mercy. Those who comply must immediately surrender to the authorities."

"Crime one: The demons of the Five Gods Cult murdered Prince Jian, impersonated imperial royalty, poisoned imperial officials, and used witchcraft to control court officials."

"Crime two: The Five Gods Cult secretly manufactured weapons and armor, manufactured bows and crossbows, and harbored armored soldiers, plotting rebellion."

"Crime three: They sacrificed living people to demons, bringing ruin to the populace..."

"Crime four..."

The list went on, chilling the listeners to the bone.

Let alone the common folk who had devoutly believed in the Five Gods Cult in the past, even the various officials and gentry who had had even the slightest connection to the cult felt their hearts pound. Just how audacious could the Five Gods Cult be?

After the soldiers dispersed, people began to gather around.

"So Prince Jian was already killed by those fiends from the Five Gods Cult?" a scholar exclaimed.

"Didn't you see how powerful those demons from the Five Gods Cult were? How could a prince resist such demons? Even an ordinary immortal might not have been their match. Fortunately, we had Great Immortal Kongchenzi! He eliminated such a powerful demon," several scholars beside him immediately chimed in.

"I said, Prince Jian, a dignified prince and son of the Emperor, why would he do such a thing?" Everyone felt relieved, as if it was only natural. The Great Zhou had been established for nearly a hundred years. Although there had been constant trouble in recent years, with extravagance at the top and corruption below, the people's hearts were still with the throne. Most people still believed the Emperor was wise.

"I heard that the Gu God of the Five Gods Cult can perform gu magic. More than half of the officials in our Jiangzhou became its puppets, their minds controlled. Fortunately, an immortal killed that Gu God. Didn't you see? Many people vomited a gu worm from their stomachs right on the spot and then woke up," this must have been arranged by someone else.

"So, all those bad deeds were done by the fiends of the Five Gods Cult?" People around looked at each other.

"Of course. Look at what the Five Gods Cult has done, one crime after another, one atrocity after another. Can you even call that human behavior?" With that statement, the entire populace of Jiangzhou became united in their hatred.

"All this is the evil karma created by the Five Gods Cult."

"No wonder the Five Gods Cult did so many bad things. They were planning to rebel!" Many commoners, listening to someone reread the notice, discussed amongst themselves and suddenly understood.

As new truths and inside stories were revealed, they spread rapidly.

Under the guidance of certain interested parties, Prince Jian was immediately portrayed as an innocent victim, killed by the demons of the Five Gods Cult as soon as he arrived in Jiangzhou. Everything was the work of the Five Gods Cult demons, and their motive for doing all this was to rebel.

Although some people harbored doubts, this outcome better fit people's imaginations and desires.

The wicked were punished, the good were saved, and everyone else was coerced. It was a perfect and happy ending.

Good and evil were clearly distinguished, right and wrong as obvious as black and white, like a grand play on stage where good and evil were already painted on the actors' faces.

Sometimes, what people wanted to see was not the truth, but merely the so-called truth they desired.

For an imperial prince to commit such a shameful act was no longer a scandal; it was an act that would be reviled for ten thousand years.

Prince Jian could do it, but the imperial court absolutely could not admit it. If everyone in the world believed that the imperial family was full of such people, the hearts of the people would be utterly lost.

As the notices were being posted, forces were dispatched simultaneously to various commanderies and counties in Jiangzhou.

Sounds of fighting erupted from the various strongholds of the Five Gods Cult. The remaining disciples of the Five Gods Cult were either killed, fled, or went into hiding.

The killing was relentless.

In an instant, the Five Gods Cult, which had been entrenched in Jiangzhou for nearly a hundred years with deep roots, completely vanished.

From then on, they were not only unwelcome in the imperial court but also in the jianghu and among the common people.

The imperial court was hunting them, the jianghu viewed them as evil and fallen dogs – killing them was a sure way to gain fame and reputation, and the common people saw them as demons and wicked beings.

Outside the city of Jiangting Commandery, in a dilapidated hut.

Feng Yusheng, clad in his protector's robe, sat on a platform, looking at the utterly miserable figures below. Many were injured, but more were filled with fear and unease.

The world was vast, and they would have nowhere to belong from now on.

Feng Yusheng looked at the dozens of Five Gods Cult disciples he had selected, those whose hands were relatively clean and who possessed ability.

Most of them had come in response to Feng Yusheng's summons, having made their choice.

With the Poison God and the Poison God Altar Master dead, and the other protectors having perished at the ferry crossing, Feng Yusheng had become the highest-ranking person in the Poison God Altar.

More importantly, Feng Yusheng offered them the hope they craved.

"You've all come," Feng Yusheng said, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

I, Feng Yusheng, am going to make a fortune this time.

"Protector Feng!" everyone knelt on one knee.

Feng Yusheng stood up.

"The Five Gods Cult is gone, and we can no longer stay in Jiangzhou. However, I can find a way for us to survive in the jianghu."

"From now on, we will be called Feng Yusheng Tower, and I will be the Tower Master. We will continue to do what the Poison God Altar used to do, except we will only trade in jianghu intelligence."

"Of course, before that, I will make the jianghu accept us completely."

These people exchanged glances and immediately made their decision: "We will follow the Tower Master to the death."

Feng Yusheng had long since made his plans, his own little scheme clicking into place perfectly.

The Poison God Altar collected all the intelligence the entire Five Gods Cult possessed. Feng Yusheng had previously hurried through various communications of the Five Gods Cult, finally deducing several locations that he believed were most likely the headquarters of the Five Gods Cult.

Following this lead, he should have a high chance of uncovering the whereabouts of the Five Gods Cult Leader. He had already dispatched people to investigate these locations, and regardless of the outcome, he would be able to identify any issues with these places.

Now, he was just waiting for an opportunity to present to the Great Immortal Kongchenzi, so that the Immortal could help him remove this Heavenly Punishment Seal.

More importantly, he needed to let the world know that he was not a protector of the Five Gods Cult, but a spy sent into the cult's ranks by the Great Immortal Kongchenzi.

He was a chivalrous hero of the Jianghu, a righteous individual who threw himself to the wolves and feared no danger.

Now that the Poison God Altar's influence had fallen into his hands, coupled with the soon-to-be-obtained story that would bring him widespread acclaim, both fame and fortune were within his grasp. Feng Yusheng could already see his bright future.

"I wonder where the Great Immortal is at this moment?"

Afterward, he recalled the Prince Jian's mansion in Yuande Square and the underground palace beneath it, feeling an immense sense of regret.

"It's just a shame about such a large mansion, and what the Five Gods Cult had accumulated over a hundred years. How much wealth that must have been! Only someone like the Great Immortal, who views gold and silver as dirt, would be willing to burn it all down!"