188. Moon City
At the same time, the Demon Hunter meeting concluded.
Elsewhere,
The room was lavishly illuminated by a crystal chandelier, its golden walls shimmering under the soft glow.
One side of the room held a mural of a Nine-Tailed Fox, its silver tails swirling in an intricate design. On the opposite wall, a majestic full moon was depicted, casting a serene radiance across the painted night sky.
At the far end of the chamber, a grand crystal throne sat atop a short flight of stairs.
A straight path led directly from the entrance to the throne, and along both sides of this path, women in flowing white robes stood motionless, their expressions serene, like living statues.
Seated on the throne, a breathtakingly beautiful woman with long silver hair rested with her eyes closed.
Her aura was ethereal, a presence that exuded grace and power.
Then, suddenly, her eyes snapped open—silver pupils flashing with a violet glow.
Her voice, smooth yet commanding, filled the chamber.
"Take this crystal and roam the city."
A silver crystal materialized in her delicate hand, its glow pulsating softly.
Without hesitation, the nearest white-robed woman stepped forward, kneeling gracefully on one knee in the center of the path.
She extended her right palm, and the crystal descended gently, landing in her open hand.
The woman on the throne continued. "The crystal will shine when near the right person. Invite them—politely."
The kneeling woman bowed her head. "Yes, Goddess."
Without turning her back, she stood up, maintaining her respectful posture as she walked backward toward the exit.
Just before she reached the door, the woman on the throne spoke again.
"Request very politely when you find the one who makes the crystal shine."
The white-robed woman paused briefly, nodding once before disappearing through the doorway.
The silver-haired woman's gaze remained steady as she watched the crystal bearer depart.
Then, she turned her attention elsewhere.
"How is the development of my faith?"
The nearest woman to the throne answered immediately.
"Goddess, 14,589 people have sworn their oaths before your statue."
A slight smile played at the Goddess's lips as she absentmindedly twirled a lock of silver hair around her finger.
Her gaze shifted. "Mani, how was your meeting with the four major families?"
A third woman, seated to the right of the throne, stepped forward and bowed.
"Goddess, they have agreed to provide 10,000 gold coins in funding and assist in hiding our activities. However… they have also requested the practice method we Moon Sisters are practicing."
The Goddess nodded thoughtfully.
"I can allow them access to the practice method… but has anyone from their main family lines sworn the oath?"
Mani's expression hardened slightly. "No, Goddess. When I told them it was a requirement for receiving the practice method, they said they would decide only after meeting you in person."
The Goddess's eyes darkened briefly before she waved her hand dismissively.
"Leave them alone for now. Focus on the east side of town—the business families and the villages surrounding the city. Those will be our next targets."
All the women shouted in unison, "Yes, Goddess!"
---
Moon City – Streets
Li Wen casually roamed the streets of Moon City, biting into a steamed bun he had bought from a roadside stall.
He didn't need food—but he was a food lover.
Whenever he arrived in a new world, his first priority—after finding ways to increase his strength—was trying the local cuisine.
With a small smile, he observed the bustling crowds, watching people go about their daily lives.
Then, something caught his eye.
Among the crowd, he noticed certain individuals with an obscure demonic aura surrounding them.
It was incredibly well-hidden—something that only a select few could detect.
"Interesting…" Li Wen mused.
Over the past three days, his understanding of the Plague Source within his body had advanced rapidly.
Now, he could choose:
- What type of plague to spread?
- How effective its transmission would be.
- The method of transmission—from person to person.
However, one thing bothered him.
His understanding of plague energy in this world did not apply to his other bodies in different worlds—and vice versa.
It was as if each world had its own unique rules governing plagues and diseases.
Despite this limitation, he remained curious—he would uncover the truth in time.
As he continued walking, his sharp eyes picked out Demon Hunters scattered throughout the city.
Some were in uniform, openly patrolling the streets.
Others blended in, wearing civilian clothes—but their behavior gave them away.
Even in disguise, their posture, gaze, and the way they assessed people marked them as trained hunters.
He also noticed something else—the Demon Hunters were keeping a close watch on the city guards.
"So… they aren't just hunting demons. They're watching their own people too."
Li Wen chuckled softly and took another bite of his bun.
"Things are getting interesting."
Because of his lover, Li Wen had been investigated by Demon Hunters multiple times in the past.
Through those experiences, he had learned how they operated—their methods, their weaknesses, and most importantly, how to avoid them.
Now, something else piqued his curiosity.
Among the people with obscure demonic auras, he noticed a pattern—the aura in each of them came from the same source.
"A single demon is responsible for all of them… but why?"
Studying the aura more carefully, he discovered two distinct paths in it:
- One carried the essence of illusion.
- The other was imbued with moon energy.
His interest deepened.
Then, he spotted someone different.
A man standing beside a carriage, watching as a team of four Demon Hunters checked his cargo.
Unlike the others, this man had far more demonic energy within him—though it was still hidden beneath layers of concealment.
Li Wen's eyes gleamed. "You're important."
The carriage was loaded with milk jars, stacked neatly in rows.
The Demon Hunters examined them thoroughly—but they would find nothing suspicious unless they poured out the milk or destroyed the jars.
With his spirit vision, Li Wen saw the truth.
Each jar had a hidden compartment at the bottom—holding a liquid that was not milk.
The substance glowed faintly in his spirit vision, pulsing with moon-spiritual energy transformed into a liquid form.
The inspection finished without incident, and the man climbed onto the carriage, taking hold of the reins.
With a sharp tug, the horses lurched forward, and the carriage rolled away.
Li Wen smirked and began following silently from behind.
After turning a corner, the carriage came to a stop in front of a restaurant.
A few waiters emerged, quickly unloading two milk jars from the carriage and carrying them inside.
Intrigued, Li Wen halted his pursuit, but before letting the driver slip away, he marked him with demon energy, ensuring he could track him later.
Now more interested in the restaurant's role, Li Wen entered the establishment.
After ordering and eating his food, he carefully observed his surroundings.
A waiter moved from table to table, serving glasses of water mixed with the mysterious liquid to select guests.
Through spirit vision, Li Wen watched the effects unfold.
As the guests drank, the liquid coursed through their bodies, accelerating cellular repair, healing the wear and tear of aging—and restoring vitality with each sip.
A clever method. Healing without suspicion.
Finishing his meal, Li Wen paid and quietly left.
---
Now, he focused on tracking his mark.
Through their invisible connection, he followed the man's movements, weaving through streets and alleyways.
After some time, the man turned into an empty alley—and when he was halfway through, Li Wen stepped in behind him.
The carriage wheels suddenly locked in place.
From Li Wen's feet, shadowy demon energy extended like creeping vines, wrapping around the wheels, preventing movement.
The man, sensing something was wrong, quickly jumped down from the carriage, his body tense with alertness.
He turned to check the wheels—just as Li Wen's energy slithered from the ground like a living creature.
In a swift motion, the dark tendrils coiled around the man's feet, climbing up his body like a snake.
Before he could react, they tightened—binding him completely like a mummy, leaving only his face exposed.
His eyes widened in terror—but before he could cry out, Li Wen took a single step forward, now only a few meters away.
His emerald-green pupils glowed ominously.
The man's body stiffened, his mind falling under Li Wen's control.
Now, the interrogation began.
After extracting all the necessary information, Li Wen erased the memory from the man's mind, ensuring he would remember nothing of their encounter.
To avoid suspicion, he also created a cover story—making it seem as though the carriage had stopped due to a broken wheel.
The man remained motionless, standing in a daze until Li Wen calmly walked out of the alley, disappearing into the night.