Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 99 Ceres Cult

Han Yi's heart tightened. He heard that annoying muttering again, exactly the same as the one he heard last time in the alley behind Fulinlou!

"Sure enough, the sound that night must have come from Changningfang!"

Squeak

The wooden door behind him suddenly opened, and a hand reached for his shoulder!

"Young man, what are you doing standing here? Hurry up and go home. Those people from the Valley God Sect are not to be trifled with!"

The wooden door was half open, and an elderly man with a ruddy complexion wearing a black round hat patted Han Yi on the shoulder.

'Wang's Pharmacy' is a shabby pharmacy with a plaque hanging on the wooden door bearing four large characters.

Grain God Cult?

Han Yi's heart stirred. He looked at the old man and realized he was just a healthy elderly person.

He paused, then said, "I...I'm here to buy medicine..."

"Hey, you know perfectly well that medicine doesn't work for this illness..."

Han Yi hadn't had time to change the clothes he wore during his fight with the hungry tiger. At this moment, he was dressed in rags, looking no different from the other people in Changning Ward.

Clearly, the old man had mistaken Han Yi's identity, thinking he was a resident of Changningfang who had come to buy medicine for treatment.

"The spirit of the valley never dies; it is called the mysterious female..."

The voice came from the alley, growing clearer and clearer as it approached. "Come in quickly, the Valley God Cult is here again!"

The old man trembled and pulled Han Yi inside.

Cough, cough

The shop was filled with the pungent smell of medicine, and it was dark, with only a little light coming through the cracks in the door and windows.

Neither Han Yi nor the old man spoke; they stood quietly at the doorway.

Finally, the chanting outside gradually faded away until it disappeared completely.

The old man peered out through the crack in the window, took a couple of glances, straightened up, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Those guys from the Valley God Cult are getting more and more flamboyant lately..."

"Shopkeeper, do you know anything about this 'Valley God Cult'...?"

Han Yi quickly stepped forward and started the conversation.

"Does Manager Wang mean that the Valley God Cult claims that as long as one believes in the Valley God, strange illnesses can be cured?!"

After a conversation, Han Yi was a little surprised. He had seen Xiao He's strange illness before. Ordinary people who got it were as fragile as candles in the wind, and even the best medicines could not cure them. But this Valley God Sect could cure diseases as long as one joined the sect.

"Yes, this strange illness came on suddenly and was very severe. Many families in Changning Ward have been affected. It was around that time that a force called the 'Valley God Cult' suddenly began to circulate in the ward..."

"Initially, the Valley God Sect distributed talismanic water for free, claiming that anyone who joined could be cured. Many poor people, desperate for a cure, joined the sect and became its disciples. Strangely enough, after joining and drinking the talismanic water, their strange illnesses disappeared. Although I have practiced medicine for many years, I still don't know why..."

Shopkeeper Wang shook his head in confusion, his eyes full of doubt.

Free medical treatment?

So, after all this, the Valley God Cult is actually a kind and benevolent people?

Han Yi felt a sense of absurdity, as if the cockroach bully had fallen in love with Miss Mengzi—it was completely out of line.

"There's no such thing as a free lunch!" Manager Wang gestured with his chin, indicating the direction the Valley God Sect's group had gone. "The Valley God Sect initially helped many poor people, and everyone in Changning Ward thought a benevolent force had arrived. But after gaining momentum, they changed their tune..."

At this point, he let out a long sigh.

"After the Valley God Sect gained power, they would go out on the street and, regardless of whether people were sick or not, ask them to buy talisman water and offer silver."

"If you refuse to give it, the Valley God Sect will gather a group of people to surround you and refuse to let you leave!"

"And shops like ours can't run away. If you don't come up with some money, these guys will block your door every day, and you won't be able to do business!" The Valley God Sect used this semi-robbery method to obtain a considerable amount of silver, which they then distributed to their disciples. After that, they grew larger and larger, and the various smaller factions in Changning Ward disappeared. Some were absorbed into the Valley God Sect, while others were killed off. Now, in Changning Ward, the Valley God Sect is the only dominant force…

"This street used to be Black Tiger Gang's territory. Although the neighborhood was chaotic back then, at least there was some business on this street. Now, even my pharmacy can't stay afloat..."

Shopkeeper Wang sounded helpless.

Han Yi also fell silent.

He had also vaguely heard about what was happening in Changning Ward. Because it was a no-man's-land, without the management of any major power or the imperial court, it was divided into several territories, with different gangs managing different areas.

Opening a shop, setting up a stall, or making purchases all require paying protection money to the gang.

In Changningfang, if you don't have the power or the backing, you'll be targeted if your business does even slightly well.

Then, either give up your business or find another way to make a living.

Either pay a large sum of money every month and earn a meager living to support your family.

Even with such exploitation, the people of Changning Ward endured it all in silence, because at least within the ward it was relatively safe, and people could still survive...

They are not martial artists like Han Yi, who can freely enter and exit various neighborhoods. As residents of Changning Ward, if they want to change their place of residence, they would probably have to leave Anyan City and live outside the city.

But if ordinary people lose their homes in the city, they may not even be able to save their lives outside the city!

“Young man, you don’t seem to be from Changning Ward. Leave quickly and don’t get involved in this mess. This strange illness, in my opinion, is probably even more serious than the plague. I’m now preparing to find another way out…”

Seeing that Han Yi knew nothing about what was happening in Changning Ward, Manager Wang knew he wasn't from Changning Ward and kindly offered some advice.

"Thank you for the reminder, shopkeeper..."

Han Yi clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

He picked out a few ginseng, atractylodes macrocephala, asparagus and other tonics for Bai Sanren to use to nourish his body. After calculating the cost, he wrapped them into a medicine bag and left Wang's Pharmacy.

"The spirit of the valley never dies; it is called the mysterious female..."

On his way back, as he passed through a wide alley in Changningfang, he saw the Valley God Sect's procession again in the distance.

At a glance, he saw a densely packed line of people going to collect the talisman water. Roughly counting, the line was as long and winding as a snake, with about a hundred people in it.

At the front of the group, several people were shouting and tearing at each other, yelling and fighting over something unknown.