Douluo Continent: Starting with controlling Ning Rongrong and establishing the Holy Cult

The Grand Elder nodded.

Then, the other elders began to praise the First Elder's talent. Although Ning Rongrong couldn't understand what they were saying, she echoed their praises in order to avoid being exposed to the other elders.

The cult leader secretly stared at Ning Rongrong for a while, and finally faced the statue and said, "That's very good. Black Flame is the foundation of the Holy God's resurrection. If our cult has one more fire, then we will have two. I believe that the Holy God's power will once again guide us to evolve."

"Haha, we should look forward to that." The Fourth Elder said, glancing at the Seventh Elder's position for only a moment, but it already alerted Ning Rongrong.

There's no reason for me to be exposed so early. Is it just a coincidence?

She pondered. After hearing the cult leader's words, she understood why the other elders were so excited. This fire was probably an even greater experience potion.

At the same time, the cult leader turned to the Second Elder and asked, "Second Elder, what about you?"

The Second Elder, however, remained somewhat calm. He shook his head and said, "We still haven't found fire in the City of Slaughter."

Instead of criticizing this seemingly unsuccessful answer, the elders expressed their sympathy.

Fire is not something easy to find, but—does this mean there is fire inside the City of Slaughter?

Ning Rongrong secretly recorded this matter in the mission system. If there was such a large experience potion in the Killing City, she would have no reason not to go.

At this moment, the Third Elder was somewhat eager to try. Before the sect leader could speak, he raised his hand.

After the cult leader agreed, he began to showcase his achievements, and his opening remarks were—

"I've confirmed the exact location of the fire that the three upper sects are monitoring; it's currently with the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex clan. We can harvest it after a while."

"The Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan?" The Fourth Elder was still the most active one, though his tone was unfriendly and tinged with greed. He seemed to want to monopolize that flame.

The Third Elder sensed this intention and, showing no respect for the Fourth Elder, retorted directly: "Fourth Elder, don't even think about that fire. First, it belongs to the Holy Spirit Cult and isn't something an individual can possess. Second, who do you think is more likely to get close to that fire, you or me?"

After hearing what the Third Elder said, the Fourth Elder calmed down. He nodded and said, "That's true. After all, you've been dealing with the Upper Three Sects for a long time."

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened behind her mask. Dealing with the three upper sects? Doesn't that include the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?

From this perspective, of the first three elders, these three are the easiest to approach, and she might even know them. As for Black Flame, who is in charge of monitoring the three upper sects, she knows nothing about this. She can try to find out more if she has the chance.

Task +1

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, it was the Fourth Elder's turn to speak.

He immediately dropped a bombshell – he said he had turned one of the elders of the Haotian Sect to the other side, and that elder was now a member of the Holy Spirit Cult.

Before Ning Rongrong could react, the Fifth and Sixth Elders also revealed their progress: one had turned the Elephant Armor Sect's higher-ups against them, and the other had turned the Wind Sword Sect's higher-ups against them. Compared to the Fourth Elder, the Fifth and Sixth Elders' achievements were much smaller.

The Elephant Armor Sect and the Wind Sword Sect were originally puppet sects of the Spirit Hall, and their status was not very high, nor was their loyalty very high.

But what did the Fourth Elder do? He turned one of the elders of the Haotian Sect against his own side!

The meeting between the three sects of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Spirit Hall flashed through Ning Rongrong's mind.

The Clear Sky Sect in this world had already been forced out of seclusion by the Spirit Hall, so she wasn't surprised. However, how could the Clear Sky Sect, one of the core organizations opposing the Holy Spirit Cult, have a traitor within its ranks?

She suddenly felt that their path of resisting the Holy Spirit Cult was suddenly incredibly difficult.

Fortunately, she doesn't need to consider these things; all her actions have only one purpose: to obtain the greatest benefit.

Within the Holy Spirit Cult, one could obtain items like Holy Spirit Pills, so she stayed. This wasn't betrayal or infiltration; she was simply drawn in by the Holy Spirit Pills and Holy Spirit Scrolls.

"Seventh Elder? What about your progress?"

"Seventh Elder?"

While Ning Rongrong was lost in thought, some elders began to urge her on impatiently.

Chapter 77 Meeting, Three Agenda Items

Ning Rongrong realized that it was her turn to report on the progress.

So they started talking at length. Although Ning Rongrong would never say such a thing in real life, she was currently being controlled by Lu Ma and could easily fabricate a story.

"Don't you know? I thought you already knew about something this important. That's right, I completed the Saintess Ceremony and established a Saintess. Isn't that a huge contribution to communicating with the Holy God?"

That was a perfect answer, without a single flaw.

Ning Rongrong thought to herself.

But things didn't seem to go as she expected.

Two elders expressed praise: the First Elder and the Second Elder. One elder expressed doubt: the Third Elder. The remaining three remained dissatisfied.

According to Ning Rongrong's understanding, the Holy Spirit Cult appeared in this world for that guy called Holy God, but the reactions of the elders made her feel that there were some other stories within the Holy Spirit Cult.

It was as if only a small number of people came here for the sake of the Holy Spirit, while the rest had other purposes.

At this moment, the puzzled elder, the Third Elder, raised a question: "Seventh Elder, I do remember that you were in charge of the Saintess Ceremony, and I understand that you feel you have made a great contribution. However, we have not received any new decree from His Holiness the Holy God. In other words, although a new Saintess has been born, His Holiness the Holy God has not responded to us. I doubt the authenticity of this Saintess. Can you tell me who she is?"

“Of course—” Ning Rongrong was slightly relieved, but the next moment, her heart jumped again. What if this was a ploy to get information out of her? If they could say anything, then the elders of the Holy Spirit Church should know who each other was, but that wasn’t the case at the moment.

Ning Rongrong decided to take precautions first.

“But why should I tell you?” she continued.

“It’s simple. Since the Holy God hasn’t responded, then either you or that Holy Maiden must be involved.” The Fourth Elder slammed his hand on the table impatiently. “If you don’t want to be suspected, then tell us what that Holy Maiden’s name is, and we’ll go and confirm it ourselves.”

"Alright—" The cult leader interrupted the others who were about to speak, explaining on Ning Rongrong's behalf, "The Saintess ceremony is complete, I can vouch for that. To ensure you won't harm the Saintess, her name naturally cannot be revealed, just as you can't know each other's real names. The Holy Spirit Cult's doctrine is to resurrect the Holy Spirit, and any possibility that could hinder the Holy Spirit's resurrection must be eliminated."

Hearing even the sect leader say this, the two who were still dissatisfied fell silent. The Fourth Elder looked at the sect leader and asked, "Sect Leader, since the ceremony was successful, why didn't the Holy Spirit respond?"

The leader was silent for a moment before explaining, "This is the matter on our second agenda. After the Saintess ceremony was completed, although the Holy One did not respond, the black flames within the church did indeed intensify—this indicates that the Holy One's connection with this world has begun to deepen again, and his return is imminent."

She scanned the crowd and continued, "So, what do you elders think about this matter? And what are your thoughts on where the Holy Spirit Church should go next?"

The Fourth Elder slammed his fist on the table first, his voice tinged with obvious anxiety: "Your Excellency, now that the black flames have intensified, why has the Holy God remained silent? I think the problem may lie in the ritual itself, and the Seventh Elder is the most likely culprit!"

He turned towards Ning Rongrong, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table beneath his black robe.

"You think I'm an imposter just because you say so? I did complete the ceremony, after all!" Ning Rongrong slammed her hand on the table, stood up, and pointed at the Fourth Elder's face, directly refuting him. This person seemed to be deliberately targeting her; what was he trying to do?

The Third Elder disapproved of the Fourth Elder's style and said sternly, "Fourth Elder, you are too impatient. It is a fact that the black flames are becoming stronger, which means that the ritual was successful and the Holy God's power is recovering, but it has not yet fully awakened. Perhaps the Holy God needs more 'fire' to solidify his consciousness."

The First Elder nodded slowly, his voice steady: "The Third Elder is right. I have already come into contact with the 'fire' of the Heavenly Dou Royal Family. If we can fuse multiple 'fires,' the Black Flame will surely become even stronger. The hope of the Holy God's resurrection will increase, but it will take time to accumulate power. Internal strife now will only delay the Holy Church's great cause."

He paused, then added, "Besides, the cult leader has guaranteed the authenticity of the ceremony, so we should trust her judgment."

The Fifth Elder and the Sixth Elder echoed in low voices, "Yes, the black flames becoming stronger is a good omen."

After the cult leader spoke, the two men's dissatisfaction disappeared, and they seemed to still trust the cult leader.

The Fourth Elder didn't refute further, only letting out a cold snort: "Hmph, I hope so. But if there's still no response at the next ceremony, I suggest we directly investigate the Holy Maiden! Sect Leader, you'll agree, won't you?"

"Nonsense! Fourth Elder, how dare you speak to the Sect Leader like that?" The Third Elder, hearing the Fourth Elder's unfriendly tone, did not tolerate it.

"Alright, everyone stop for a moment." The cult leader didn't want to get involved, but seeing the situation escalating, he finally spoke up, "Are you going to bring your usual bad habits to the meeting?"

Hearing the cult leader's words, the group calmed down. They looked at each other, and finally, all turned to look at the cult leader.

"Next, we will proceed to the third item on the agenda. Based on the discussion, I have made the following arrangements. The first three elders will continue to monitor Black Flame's movements, and ideally, acquire him within three months. The middle three elders will continue to persuade more high-ranking members of the sect to defect, bolstering the Holy Church's reserves. As for the Seventh Elder—"

The cult leader paused, then continued, "Now that you have experience in completing the Saintess Ceremony, in order to further deepen your connection with the Holy Spirit, I have decided to entrust you with the task of conducting the Fourth Saintess Ceremony. Elders, do you have any objections?"

The elders shook their heads.

"And what about you, Seventh Elder?"

Ning Rongrong thought for a moment and then asked, "The personnel and location—are these still decisions I make myself?"

"Yes."

Ning Rongrong nodded: "I understand, leave it to me."

This was obviously just a perfunctory remark. Ning Rongrong didn't care about this task because it didn't seem to bring her any value.

"objection!"

The Fourth Elder slammed his hand on the table again. Ning Rongrong frowned as she looked at the shaking table.

Will this table really not break?

Then he raised his head, his eyes already filled with anger.

"These four elders—have already chosen a path to their deaths."

Of course, it's not convenient to say this out loud.

At this moment, the Fourth Elder spoke up: "Something's not right with the Seventh Elder. We really can't entrust such an important matter to him; he'll ruin it!"

"Haven't you noticed? This Seventh Elder is not the same Seventh Elder as before!"

In Chapter 78, his identity was exposed.

"The Seventh Elder is dead! The one before us now is a new Seventh Elder! Perhaps he is a spy from another force!"

The Fourth Elder continued. Upon hearing this, the other elders also looked at her.

Some of these people didn't make a sound, presumably because they had already noticed it but didn't say anything.

Ning Rongrong clenched her fists. If she could use her soul skills here, she would definitely teach this Fourth Elder a lesson—she couldn't beat him, but she could annoy him.

She finally stared at the Fourth Elder and asked, "Where's the evidence?"

"The posture and tone don't match up at all. The Seventh Elder I know doesn't match your characteristics at all."

Ning Rongrong nodded, then said decisively, "Yes, I am not. However, do you know that this meeting was organized by the cult leader? Each of us was brought in by the cult leader. So there is no problem with my identity."

Some of the elders nodded in agreement.

Other elders continued to hesitate.

This time, the Fourth Elder held back. He didn't bang on the table, but looked at the Sect Leader and asked, "Sect Leader, even if his identity is not in question, isn't it too... hasty to entrust such an important matter as the Holy Maiden Ceremony to a newcomer?"

The cult leader remained unmoved.

The fifth and sixth elders had now joined the fourth elder's group and also believed that there was something wrong with the matter.

"She probably doesn't even take this task seriously."

The Sixth Elder added, "He was right after all."

The cult leader looked at Ning Rongrong, and just as the three elders, the fourth, fifth, and sixth, were getting excited, the cult leader's next words shattered their illusions.

"After this is done, including the reward from the previous Seventh Elder, you'll receive a total of three Holy Spirit Pills. Is that enough?"

"Wait, how much? Master, although the Holy Spirit Pill is not very useful, it is still a very precious item. You're giving it to a newcomer like this?"