The Entire Holy Spirit Cult, Myself Included, Is a Sacrificial Offering (Two Chapters in One)

He still maintained that carefree attitude, as if nothing in the world was worth his concern. The familiar face also brought a hint of shame to his eyes.

If he had risked his position as the head of the Illustrious Virtue Hall back then, protecting him with his life, wouldn't the young man have been spared his current infamy?

After all, in the eyes of these senior brothers, the boy was still the same junior brother he used to be.

"Call..."

Lu Cheng picked up the kettle with practiced ease, brewed the tea, blew away the tea leaves floating on top, took a small sip, and nodded slightly. "It tastes just like it did back then."

"Junior brother, how have you been these years?" Jing Hongchen asked subconsciously, but he quickly realized that his words were hitting the boy's heart.

He clearly had a bright future, yet he was forced into a den of thieves. Even if he was a holy son of the Holy Spirit Cult, what future could he possibly have in his eyes? Staying with a bunch of sewer rats was nothing short of depravity and torment.

"Senior brother, there's no need to blame yourself. What's past is past. This is the path I chose, and I have no regrets..." Lu Cheng said leisurely.

"..."

Jing Hongchen remained silent, unable to overcome the hurdle in her heart.

"What about A Xiao and A Meng? How are they?" Lu Cheng asked with a smile, changing the subject.

They... miss you too.

"Jing Hongchen said softly."

"Grandpa! I advanced to Level 2 Soul Engineer today! Look at this badge that proves it!"

At thirteen, she was already showing signs of becoming a beauty. She was about 1.65 meters tall with long, silver-white hair cascading over her shoulders. The stunningly beautiful girl skipped and hopped into the heart of the Illustrious Virtue Hall like a fawn, and no one stopped her.

She burst in, pointing excitedly to the red and black badge with two horizontal stripes on her chest. She puffed out her chest, head held high, and tugged at Jing Hongchen's sleeve, pouting, "Grandpa, you said... Junior Uncle would come back to see us. When exactly will he come back?"

She overlooked the guy sitting on the other side, not looking directly at his face, and assumed he was one of the grandfather's friends.

"Hehehe..." Jing Hongchen rarely smiled, his lips curving upwards as he said to Lu Cheng beside him, "Look how much these two little ones miss you..."

"..."

A silence fell over the room.

Meng Hongchen's face froze, and she turned around stiffly. Lu Cheng's handsome face also showed a smile as he gently looked at the little girl. She really changes every day. The girl's blue eyes were full of blankness, and then her big eyes filled with tears. She suddenly rushed towards Lu Cheng.

"Waaaaah..."

"Junior Uncle, A Meng thought she would never see you again..."

Meng Hongchen wept bitterly, her tears soaking Lu Cheng's clothes, but he could only sigh helplessly and stroke the girl's silver-white hair like petting a cat, "I just joined the Holy Spirit Cult, I'm not dead."

"And this bracelet..."

Lu Cheng smiled, his gaze warm and gentle, and handed a silver bracelet to Meng Hongchen. This was version 2.0, which could detect the strength of Soul Master's Soul Power and the degree of weakness of their pulse. It would be detected once the soul power left the body. Although Zhongli Wu was no longer targeting him, giving this item to the girl was still a way of fulfilling a wish.

"So beautiful."

A hint of surprise flashed in Meng Hongchen's eyes, and she happily put it on her wrist. "Thank you, Junior Uncle!"

Taking advantage of the moment, she pressed her red lips against Lu Cheng's cheek, leaving a soft, fragrant lip print. Her face flushed, and she leaned against Lu Cheng, fiddling with her bracelet, and fell silent.

Jing Hongchen still had a smiling expression.

He stroked his snow-white beard, and in his eyes, it seemed to be a younger generation's dependence on and affection for their junior brother, very pure.

They never even considered the possibility of marriage.

After all, logically speaking, Lu Cheng was of the same generation as him, while his granddaughter was two generations behind. The difference was...

"Oh, right, there's one more thing."

Lu Cheng stroked the girl's hair in his arms and said calmly, "A few days ago, I took on a disciple."

"Apprentice?"

Jing Hongchen was stunned. His silly junior brother actually took on disciples?

But then he thought about how the latter was a member of the Holy Spirit Cult, and wondered if this disciple might be that Evil Soul Master, and his expression became somewhat conflicted.

"She's very clean, pure... Her Martial Soul is an angel." As if knowing Jing Hongchen was thinking, Lu Cheng said with a light laugh.

Upon hearing this, Jing Hongchen's expression relaxed Angel Martial Soul was a well-known "righteous" element in the original continent, and it was the kind of element that was irreconcilably opposed to Evil Soul Master, almost a natural nemesis.

"No, Xiao Cheng, aren't you also..." But soon, Jing Hongchen suddenly paused, looking at Lu Cheng in astonishment. Given Lu Cheng's status as the Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult, and arguably the most terrifying Evil Soul Master and the biggest Evil Soul Master leader on the entire continent, this was quite a contradiction.

If things escalate to a point of no return, that would be a real problem.

Given Lu Cheng's status, it's normal for him to take in Evil Soul Master, but to take in an Angel Martial Soul... wouldn't that easily lead to a backlash?

"..."

"She doesn't know my identity," Lu Cheng said leisurely.

"But we are essentially the same kind of people, after all, my Martial Soul is the Seraphim."

"If she really has the ability to kill me, then it proves that I've taught her well..."

"You child." Jing Hongchen exhaled a breath of stale air, her face full of melancholy.

"The moment I saw her, I knew she was an uncarved snow lotus—pure and elegant. I will not let her be tainted by the habits of Evil Soul Master..."

Lu Cheng said slowly, "However, senior brother, I would like to trouble you with a matter. If one day in the future she comes looking for you alone, it means that something has happened to me. At that time, I would appreciate it if you could take care of her for me."

"..." Jing Hongchen remained silent, only nodding emphatically.

Meng Hongchen listened quietly to the adults discussing important matters, remaining silent until she heard the last sentence. Her eyes reddened, and she used her delicate hand to cover Lu Cheng's mouth. "Junior Uncle, you're not allowed to say unlucky things, ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!"

"Hehe, I still want to watch A Meng grow up."

Lu Cheng chuckled.

Sun Moon Empire.

Mingdu.

Inside a secluded little courtyard.

Lu Cheng sat leisurely in the center of the courtyard, sipping his tea. On the other side, a young girl held a wooden sword and practiced slashing diligently. Sweat soaked through her snow-white clothes, and her fair face flushed red, but she still persisted in slashing again and again.

She didn't ask Lu Cheng why he wanted her to do this. This "senior" was even stronger than her grandfather. She had seen him once. He was a true Titled Douluo. Although he looked like a young man in his twenties, the oppressive feeling that was almost like blood ties was real.

Therefore, she was willing to believe... that this was her hope for revenge in the future.

As if aiming at those three Evil Soul Master, even though his arms ached and he could barely lift them, he did not give up.

"Good."

Lu Cheng leisurely sipped his tea, nodded slightly, and said, "It has a rough outline."

The angels he wanted to cultivate were certainly not ordinary ones.

Instead, they are secretly plotting to reclaim the Divine Soul of a certain "elder" from ten thousand years ago, or even to reconstitute the Angel Godhood. Therefore, this path is not easy.

The path of angels is generally reserved for the chosen ones, who rely on their inherent holy power to crush Evil Soul Master and unleash tons of damage with their near-ultimate attributes.

But this is essentially just stacking spell damage.

In his eyes, angels should be capable of both physical and magical cultivation.

In other words, besides the amplification of her own holy attributes, the longsword in her hand should not be merely a decoration, but rather a real weapon capable of severing the heads of Evil Soul Master without amplifying her holy power.

Comprehend the essence of swordsmanship.

He came straight down this road.

Sword energy is a mysterious and profound thing. In the original work, only one person comprehended it: the Sword Fanatic Ji Juechen. He transformed all his Soul Power into sword energy, his mind free of distractions, pure and natural. Then, with the help of Huo Gua, he transformed it into a powerful weapon of sword intent.

Lu Cheng, however, obtained that wisp of sword intent through the Simulation Device's rewards.

That's why his Seraphim's damage was so terrifying, easily defeating the Fifth Priest at the time and severing all the octopus tentacles. He was just about to behead them when Zhongli Wu stopped him.

The Blazing Angel Martial Soul carries a hint of holy fire attribute.

It can be considered a variant of the Angel Martial Soul, possessing extremely powerful attack capabilities. When combined with sword intent, it is almost invincible.

And now, he also places high hopes on Ye Guyi.

In the future, he will go to the Sunset Mountain Range to get her a Immortal Herb, or the Infernal Delicate Apricot. If he can Martial Soul Evolution into Seraphim, that would be best. If not... he will try to see if he can leave his own Martial Soul to her. He has already walked this path carefully, and the thorns have been cleared for the girl. As long as she follows the steps, she can advance to Seraphim.

At that time, as an angel, I will wipe out all Evil Soul Master in the world.

This was the final path to godhood that he paved for him... to help him gain fame, to earn the respect and worship of the world, and ultimately to follow the old path of the Sea God and become a god through faith.

The entire Holy Spirit Cult, including him, was a sacrifice.

These are all necessary steps for Ye Guyi to become a god.

Then he can say those words with a clear conscience... "I raised a god."

"Good."

Lu Cheng nodded slightly, a hint of relief in his eyes.

Sword intent cannot be passed down; it can only be explored through one's own comprehension. In just a few months, the girl has mastered the basic form of this sword technique. Although she has not yet grasped its essence, it has already proven that the girl has extremely strong talent.

At least... I won't lose to myself.

Stop.

"Yes, Master."

Ye Guyi took a deep breath, holding the wooden sword and standing beside Lu Cheng. Because she hadn't used her Soul Power before, she was exhausted and her chest was rising and falling as she breathed heavily. The girl looked at Lu Cheng with more tenderness and affection. Although this "teacher" was very strict with her, he had never mistreated her.

The most expensive medicinal bath, made with spiritual herbs that greatly nourish and enhance the physical body.

She never stopped.

Although she was exhausted every day, the visible increase in her strength each day, with the blood feud of her family in the past, made her feel more at ease.

She relentlessly honed her physical body, cultivating tirelessly, as if only in this way could she feel that she was still alive, not a walking corpse.

"How are you feeling?" Lu Cheng asked with a smile.

"This sword technique is very obscure and difficult to understand. Although I have just mastered the basic form, I have not yet figured out its essence."

Ye Guyi spoke softly, her expression calm.

"..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Cheng glanced at the girl beside him with slight surprise. At this age, the girl was developing rapidly. Looking at her, she was already close to 1.7 meters tall. Her calm and pretty face looked holy and beautiful, with an added touch of angelic intellect and tranquility. The anxiety between her brows from a few days ago was gone, as if Lu Cheng had unknowingly smoothed it out with one of his hands.

She was dressed in martial arts attire, with her hair tied in a single ponytail, looking both capable and sharp.

Seeing Lu Cheng scrutinizing her, Ye Guyi's usually calm face showed a hint of panic. She subconsciously checked her clothes for any dishevelment, as this would be disrespectful to her master.

Lu Cheng smiled, shook his head, and slowly stood up.

Walk to the center of the courtyard.

Her eyes slowly closed. A breeze rose, and the grass and trees in the courtyard, along with her snow-white Ye Guyi, all fluttered in the wind. Ye Guyi instantly held her breath, her golden eyes fixed on Lu Cheng's movements. Clearly, she knew what Lu Cheng meant; her master wanted to demonstrate it herself...

As an Angel Martial Soul possessor, she could already feel a significant amplification when releasing her sword intent while her Martial Soul Possession. How powerful would it be if a Titled Douluo- level expert displayed it?

And the next moment.

In Lu Cheng's palm, a blazing longsword slowly condensed. He casually twirled the sword, then held it behind his back. His eyes slowly opened, dazzling and brilliant. Behind him, a huge phantom slowly condensed, dancing with him on the sword.

"The Holy Flame Sword Canon."

"Starting stance... Blazing Feather Approaches the Abyss."

Lu Cheng stood still, sword in hand, tip pointing to the ground. The holy fire aura around him gradually subsided, like Seraphim gathering its wings, poised to strike. His aura continued to sink, and his thoughts gathered on the sword's edge.

Ye Guyi's throat bobbed as she felt an extremely terrifying, sharp pain emanating from the tip of her teacher's sword, with spiritual energy from heaven and earth continuously flowing into it.

It seems that once its sharp edge is revealed, it will be the time of the Destruction heaven and earth.

First move: Blazing Heart, Pierce.

Lu Cheng spoke softly, seemingly reminding Ye Guyi.

Stepping forward, he gathered the intense heat at the tip of his sword, transforming it into a straight, incandescent beam of light, and thrust it directly at his front. This required extremely high control over speed, precision, and even penetration.

The sword energy was thrust out, but the previously accumulated intense heat did not dissipate. Instead, it became even more stable, like a volcano about to erupt, making one's hair stand on end.

Ignoring Ye Guyi's shock, Lu Cheng immediately followed with the second move: "Ring of Judgment - Severance".

With a few quick steps, a slender figure in snow-white robes danced with a sword in the courtyard. She spun rapidly, the fiery red longsword in her hand sweeping horizontally. This technique focused on the waist and abdomen, the swordplay as condensed and precise as a ring.

And then comes the third and final move.

"World-Purifying Lotus Flower Flame."

As Lu Cheng's voice faded...

The intense heat that had been suppressed around him was completely "detonated." With a slight flick of his wrist, the sword swiftly slashed upwards, creating a blazing white arc. Holy flames then erupted, resembling a massive, Lie Yan lotus.

At the same time, the enormous phantom behind Lu Cheng also made the same move.

As if the heavens and the earth were about to be destroyed, the sword's power surged wildly within the small courtyard until it was unleashed.

In Ye Guyi's dazed gaze, the dark clouds stretching for hundreds of miles in the sky were actually cut off by a single sword strike, as if a chasm had been carved out.