Players: All NPCs in the Sect Are Moles

The moment the speech ended, disciples who had been waiting on both sides immediately filed in, each holding a tray covered with red silk.

The red silk was unveiled, revealing two items arranged neatly on top.

There were ancient-looking scrolls tied with golden thread, and talismans intricately painted with complex symbols.

These were the "Luck Transfer Talismans," claimed to gather one’s fortune.

"This is the ’True Understanding of Success’! It contains the very essence of the Great Dao that I have comprehended over my entire life!"

"And this is the ’Gathering Luck Talisman’! I drew it myself and have blessed it with constant prayer, day and night. It will help you navigate the turbulent seas of commerce, gather fortune from every direction, and turn peril into peace!"

Watching the believers swarm forward in a mad rush to buy, the young Dong Changsheng felt confused and bewildered.

He had once asked his master in private, ’Are these things... really effective?’

He would never forget his master’s response. The man had simply looked at him and said:

"Practically speaking, they’re useless, of course. But Changsheng, you’re only seeing the surface."

"In truth, whether they work or not depends entirely on what’s in their hearts."

"If they believe they work, then they work. If they believe they don’t, then they don’t."

"Do you think I am merely hoarding wealth?"

"No."

His master shook his head.

"I... am delivering them from their suffering."

Dong Changsheng was stunned.

And then his master began to expound upon his Great Dao:

"The world says that ill-gotten gains are a karmic burden."

"I say they are wrong!"

"Without parting with wealth, one’s Heart Demon will never rest;"

"Without renouncing property, how can the positions of the weak and strong ever be reversed;"

"Without disbursing gold, all riches are but fleeting illusions;"

"Without emptying one’s purse, how can one’s mind be emptied of worldly desires;"

"Without demonstrating sincerity, fortune will forever remain unpredictable;"

"Without investing, the future is but a fleeting moment;"

"Without making sacrifices, one can never find release from suffering;"

"Without making offerings, all worldly endeavors become meaningless!"

"Wealth is the world’s greatest trial, the shackles that bind the spirit and mind of mortals! Their virtue is not equal to their station, their willpower is weak. In their hands, immense wealth only breeds laziness, greed, and fear, ultimately dragging them into an abyss of eternal damnation! My actions may seem like I am taking their money, but in truth, I am severing their karmic burdens and lifting their heavy loads! What we take from them is the ’suffering’ that was never truly theirs; what we give them is the ’faith’ to advance unburdened and bravely face what life throws at them! Why do you think they prayed to gods and Buddhas in the past? They traded these worldly possessions for spiritual fulfillment and the hope of success. For that, they should be grateful! And we, in turn, should feel compassion for performing this great deed of delivering all sentient beings from their suffering!"

The speech detonated in Dong Changsheng’s mind!

’So that’s how it is!’

’Master’s realm has long since transcended the mundane concepts of good and evil!’

’This is supreme wisdom and compassion!’

’To think I actually questioned Master over such a trivial matter... I’m such a worthless disciple!’

’If Master says so, then it must be right!’

’Master is truly compassionate!’

He looked at the believers. After spending all their money, they clutched the scrolls and Spirit Talismans, their faces filled with relief. At the sight, the doubts in his heart vanished like smoke.

’Master... is right about everything!’

And not only had they reaped the joy of heading toward success, they had even been set upon the road to financial freedom—the freedom for their money to run directly into his master’s pockets.

’What boundless compassion and benevolence!’

’How lucky I am to have been accepted as Master’s disciple and to hear such profound truths of the Great Dao!’

Dong Changsheng would remember this kindness for the rest of his life and would repay it even if it meant being ground to dust!

And that was only the beginning.

A copy of the ’True Understanding of Success’ and a Luck Transfer Talisman were merely the price of admission to his master’s "sermon."

Just to qualify for a single sentence of personal guidance from the master, believers had to offer a sum of money that could feed and clothe an ordinary family for more than a decade.

Some went even further. For a chance to study at the master’s side and become one of the lucky few with the hollow title of "nominal disciple," they would bankrupt their entire families, offering up ancestral shops and fertile farmlands.

His master always seemed to perceive the deepest anxieties and desires in their hearts, making them willingly believe that the money they handed over wasn’t a loss, but an investment in their future.

Every contribution they made was another solid step on their own path to future success.

And so, by selling this "guaranteed hope for success," the master and his disciple made a fortune.

At the time, Dong Changsheng still didn’t understand why his master had chosen him.

But it didn’t matter. They were already marching steadily down the road to success.

CRUNCH...

In front of the Asking Dao Ladder, Lin Qingfeng stared at the scenes playing out in the purple crystal, his hand frozen mid-crunch on a melon seed. He was dumbfounded.

"Well, this is interesting. Heh heh. So that’s Dong Changsheng’s past."

He was watching with rapt attention when he caught a small head curiously peeking over his shoulder.

It was Su Ling’er. She also wanted a peek at Mr. Dong’s Heart Demon.

"Hey!"

Lin Qingfeng shot out a hand, THUMP, and blocked her inquisitive little head.

"Alright, alright. You’re just a kid. Stop trying to look at all this weird stuff. Your brain’s already not the sharpest tool in the shed; watch too much of this and it’ll short-circuit."

"Can’t I just take a peek? I got to see all of Mr. Wa’s last time." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"No means no! It already polluted your eyes last time, and you want to look again?"

"Shoo, shoo! Kids, go play somewhere else!"

As he spoke, he flicked his finger, giving Su Ling’er a sharp rap on the forehead.

With a soft THWACK, neither too hard nor too soft, the flick sent her stumbling back into the crowd of ten undercover disciples.

It also made it impossible for her to get another look at the purple crystal.

"Kids these days," Lin Qingfeng retracted his hand and muttered. "Never learning anything useful, always trying to peep at other people’s Heart Demons. What’s wrong with them?"

"Eldest Brother,"

Shi Gandang couldn’t resist retorting from the side,

"Aren’t you doing the exact same thing right now? Peeping at someone’s Heart Demon?"

"You call this peeping?"

Lin Qingfeng shot back, full of righteous indignation,

"I’m supervising my junior brother’s Heart Demon trial out of concern!"

"Besides, I’m not a child. My Dao Heart won’t be tainted by a mere Heart Demon!"

"Is that so, Eldest Brother?"

Lu Wu piped up ominously,

"Then who was it that wanted to bolt the second they saw Wang Xiedi’s Heart Demon?"

"Ahem! That was a complete accident! A case of force majeure! It couldn’t be helped!"

"Speaking of which, Eldest Brother, are you really not going to let our little sister see?"

Shen Nong sidled up and said,

"I feel like this whole success philosophy is practically a tailor-made recruitment manual for our sect!"

"If Dong Changsheng inherited all of his master’s skills, wouldn’t duping people into coming to work for us be a piece of cake?"

"Forget it, forget it,"

Lin Qingfeng waved his hand.

"Haven’t you seen our ’sharp-witted’ little sister? She’s already a bit buggy, and her logic circuits seem to short out from time to time.

If we let her watch Dong Changsheng’s entire backstory, wouldn’t her already-not-so-brilliant mind just crash on the spot?"

"And if her brain crashes, who’s going to help me welcome the new disciples?"

"All that training, wasted, right?"

"Stop, stop!"

Having been flicked away, Su Ling’er was both flustered and furious. She puffed out her cheeks like an angry hamster but didn’t dare to fight back.

From a distance, all she could do was try to catch snippets of information from the "devils’" conversation.

"By the way, Eldest Brother, doesn’t this whole routine feel a bit familiar?"

Shi Gandang mused, stroking his chin.

"Isn’t it a bit like... like what’s-his-name?"