189. Invitation from the Goddess of the Moon.
After exiting the alleyway, Li Wen spotted an upscale tea house nearby.
Deciding to take a moment to reflect, he entered, ascended to the first floor, and settled near a window overlooking the bustling street.
He ordered a cup of tea and some snacks, allowing himself a moment to observe the city below.
As the server placed his tea and food before him, he took a slow sip, his mind replaying the information he had extracted from the milkman.
- The milkman was a true believer in the so-called Goddess of the Moon.
- The liquid hidden inside the jars was called Moon Spirit.
- The milkman had converted two weeks ago after his son suffered a near-fatal injury.
- The Moon Spirit liquid had miraculously healed the boy, solidifying the man's faith in the Goddess.
- He was completely unaware that his goddess was a demon.
- He also did not know what realm or type of demon she was.
However, from what Li Wen had gathered, he could confidently conclude one thing—
The so-called Goddess of the Moon was weaker than a Source Demon.
Finishing his tea, he ate the last of his snack, paid his bill, and left the tea house.
This time, he walked with purpose.
His next destination was one of the bases of the Moon Goddess Cult.
During the interrogation, the milkman revealed the location where he had taken an oath of devotion in front of the Goddess's statue.
A few minutes later, Li Wen stood before a gambling den.
Without hesitation, he stepped inside, weaving through crowds of gamblers before heading into one of the dimly lit corridors.
Once inside, he carefully pressed specific locations on three different paintings along the corridor.
A hidden door clicked open, revealing a staircase leading underground.
Without a moment's pause, Li Wen descended.
Reaching the bottom, he turned right, stepping into a large chamber.
At the center and back of the chamber, a magnificent idol of the so-called Goddess of the Moon stood, its figure carved from pale stone, exuding a soft silver glow.
He studied the idol closely, scanning for clues about the Great Demon behind this cult.
The people inside the chamber were divided into two groups:
1. Commoners dressed in ordinary clothing, kneeling in prayer before the idol.
2. Women in flowing white robes, moving between them, offering Moon Spirit liquid and guiding prayers.
One of the white-robed women, holding a small vessel, approached him with a welcoming smile.
"Brother, are you new to this area?"
Li Wen returned her gaze with a polite nod.
"Yes, I moved here just hours ago. After settling into my new home, I came here to offer my prayers to the Goddess for her blessings."
The woman's eyes lit up. "Brother, may I ask where your house is? That way, we can invite you when we hold a larger ceremony."
Li Wen's eyes flickered with a purple glow for just a fraction of a second.
The woman's expression turned momentarily blank, and then she answered herself in a soft, dazed voice.
"Brother, so your house is beside Old Lu's bookstore."
Li Wen nodded. "Yes, sister."
Glancing at the crowded prayer area, he added, "I'll be going now. I still have some work left. I'll return later to offer my prayers."
His decision to check this place had turned out to be in his favor—with the prayer area packed, he had avoided the need to kneel and participate in any formal worship.
Without waiting for her response, Li Wen turned and walked away, making his way back up the stairs.
The white-robed woman watched him leave, her eyes lingering on his figure as he disappeared up the stairway.
Something about him felt off, but she couldn't identify why.
Still, the thought of a spy infiltrating their secret temple never crossed her mind.
After all, only those who had sworn the oath were permitted to enter alone and unsupervised.
And once someone took the oath, they would never betray the Goddess.
It had been proven time and time again—even when members were captured by Demon Hunters, none had ever revealed anything about their faith.
Pushing the thought aside, she returned to her previous spot, where another white-robed woman, Liu Mei, turned to her and asked,
"Who was that new brother?"
She frowned slightly. "I forgot to ask his name, but he moved into the empty house beside Old Lu's bookstore."
Liu Mei's brows knitted in confusion. "That's strange. I spoke with Old Lu this morning, and he didn't mention renting out that house."
The woman shrugged. "Maybe he didn't think it was important. You can ask him later."
Stepping out of the gambling den, Li Wen paused on the street, scanning his surroundings.
He wondered if he had any unfinished tasks, but nothing came to mind.
"I should find an inn," he decided.
But just as he was about to move, his gaze was drawn to a woman across the street.
She walked with calm confidence, her black shawl wrapped around her upper body and face, concealing most of her features.
Yet, beneath the shawl, she wore a white robe intricately embroidered—one sleeve bore the symbol of a full moon, while the other depicted a nine-tailed fox.
Li Wen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So… the demon behind the cult is a Nine-Tailed Fox?"
That meant her realm was at the level of a Great Demon.
As the woman reached the center of the street, directly opposite him, she suddenly stopped.
Then, she turned to face him.
Li Wen's sharp gaze immediately caught the faint glow of a silver crystal shining in the palm of her right hand.
Without hesitation, the woman began walking toward him.
As she approached, she silently questioned her Goddess's decision.
"Why would my Goddess specifically ask us to invite an ordinary man?"
From what she could see, he had no remarkable presence—nothing to suggest he was worthy of her Goddess's attention.
But the moment she stood before him, her doubts shattered.
The instant their eyes met, a chill ran through her soul.
His gaze was deep, piercing, invasive—it reached into the depths of her mind, making her feel exposed, and vulnerable.
It was the same sensation she felt when her Goddess looked at her.
Her breath hitched slightly, but she steadied herself.
She bowed slightly, her voice calm but respectful.
"Sir, our Goddess invites you to visit her."
Li Wen smirked. "Then… can I say no?"
The woman nodded. "Yes, sir."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Then tell me—how did you find me?"
She held out the glowing crystal in her palm, her voice even.
"The Goddess only instructed me to invite the person who makes the crystal shine."
Li Wen glanced at the shimmering stone, curiosity flickering in his gaze.
Without hesitation, he reached out and took the crystal from her palm.
A moment later, his demon energy surged into the stone, invading its core to uncover its secret.
The moment he understood how it worked, the crystal shattered instantly, dissolving into a wisp of demonic energy before vanishing completely.
His smirk deepened.
Although his appearance was perfectly human, and his aura masked, making him seem like an ordinary mortal, there was something he could never fully conceal—his life level.
It was higher than a human's, and though it remained subtle, it naturally influenced the world around him.
The crystal had detected this unique life force, allowing the cultists to identify him.
Li Wen turned his gaze back to the woman.
"Alright. Let's go meet your Goddess."
His decision wasn't made lightly.
He wanted information.
Before becoming a clone in this world, Li Wen's memory had known nothing about the hidden information of this world.
And this so-called Goddess of the Moon?
Why was she masquerading as a deity?
Li Wen intended to find out.
The woman nodded silently and turned to lead the way.
He followed closely behind, weaving through the crowded streets as they moved toward the western side of the city—where the wealthy estates of the influential elite resided.
Eventually, they arrived at one such estate, and the woman led him inside.
As soon as Li Wen stepped through the gates, his gaze swept over the vast courtyard.
Aside from the central mansion, the estate was filled with night-flower trees, their pale blossoms beginning to unfurl in the twilight glow.
But when he activated his spirit vision, the trees revealed their true nature.
Each had been modified—engineered to absorb moon energy and store it within hollow compartments hidden inside their trunks.
The woman continued forward, guiding him into the main house.
He followed her through a series of dimly lit corridors, eventually entering a large chamber.
At the very back of the chamber, sitting atop a glimmering crystal throne, was the demon herself—the so-called Goddess of the Moon.
Li Wen's gaze met hers.
.