"Very well. Come with me, then. I''ll show you what real cultivators look like."


    Ecker was overjoyed to hear the words. He was a big fan of cultivation but had never been able to start on his cultivation journey as he had to provide for his entire family.


    Greg''s offer to bring him to meet some real cultivators excited Ecker greatly, and he followed Greg all the way to a basement in the manor.


    The basement consisted of three levels. The first was a storeroom, the second was a study with many books on cultivation, and the third was a space with a maze-likeyout.


    Ecker turned to Greg. "Are there cultivators here, Mister Greg? Is that why you''ve brought me here?"


    "Pipe down. Juste with me," said Greg.


    Greg wove through the maze on the third level of the basement with Ecker in tow, heading toward the center of the maze. There was a tall, round podium there with steps leading up to it that the two men climbed.


    On the top of the podium sat a bearded old man whose top of his head was bald. He was covered in ck robes, and his eyebrows were a fiery shade of red. Just as the two men were about to reach the top of the podium, Greg said, "Get down on your knees, Ecker."


    "Yes, Mister Greg."


    Greg kneeled alongside Ecker, and the both of them sank into a full bow to the old man in the center of the podium.


    "Greg Jonan at your service, Holy One."


    "Ecker Katz at your service, Holy One."


    The old man opened his eyes slowly, ncing at Greg before his gazended on Ecker and his expression darkened. "You''ve failed again, haven''t you?"


    Greg was ovee with panic. "Pratt and I did our best to look for the gloves you told us about, but that young man named Wilbur Penn put them under consignment. He didn''t know the gloves were special, and now we don''t know where they are."


    "What?"


    The old man widened his eyes in a fierce glower. "But you promised me!"


    "I''ll continue looking for it, I promise."


    The old man was positively fuming. "I don''t care what you do or how long it takes, I need to find those gloves!"


    "Of course, of course."


    Greg bowed profusely, desperately trying to prove his earnestness. "Don''t worry, Holy One. The Jonan n will find your holy weapon even if it takes all the money and energy we have!"


    Ecker let out a chuckle suddenly, still on his knees. This all seemed ridiculous to him. How could a pair of gloves be considered a holy weapon?


    The old man''s gazended on Ecker, and he got to his feet. "Is this the sacrifice you have brought for me?"


    The old man opened his hands, sucking Ecker to one of them.


    Ecker cried out in shock. "I''m sorry, Holy One! Please forgive me, please "