Building Factions

Leave the right amount of blank space, and the fear of the unknown grows more easily. This was a demonic sect, not a charity hall.

Seeing Wang Yu leave that corner, the two were both afraid and hesitant, never daring to approach Wang Yu again for conversation.

And so, that day's lecture came to an end, and everyone returned to their own stone houses.

The twenty-second day of his life as a Spirit Slave.

Wang Yu was using the same method to approach his fellow townsmen from Stone Lake City. For the others, he would need a different pitch.

There were three kinds of people willing to learn.

Those who meekly accepted adversity, those who understood the times, and those with ambition!

The first type was the most numerous, the second came next, and the third was the least numerous. Wang Yu found it easiest to persuade the third type. With Steward Duan's declaration that day to vouch for him, his name carried considerable weight.

As long as they wanted to become Outer Disciples, all he had to do was lay out the pros and cons, use the Ice Sword Technique as bait, and show them the pie he had gotten to eat. These people were quickly tempted.

In the span of one morning, he persuaded seven people.

At that moment, those two "acquaintances" Came over on their own and spoke to Wang Yu in low voices.

"We both have Mixed Spiritual Roots and Useless Spiritual Roots. It's simply impossible for us to enter the path within two months. Not to mention, before coming here, we couldn't even recognize a single written character. You're deceiving us."

Wang Yu could not help but sneer.

"This is the Inverse Spirit Blood Sect, not a charity hall! Do you think my aptitude is so good? As long as you are willing to spend your lifespan, getting started is simplicity itself. You are no exception."

Such ignorance appeared among people at the bottom no matter what world they were in. But once they were persuaded, they would also become the most steadfast supporters.

The two were rendered speechless again. After a moment of silence, they agreed to Wang Yu's demands.

"Very good."

Wang Yu smiled and drew them another pie.

"If you want to cast off your identities as Spirit Slaves, raise your monthly tribute of Spirit Sand to one tael and six qian. Only by being different from the others will you have a chance of catching Cold Blood True Inheritor's eye."

"Th-this—"

The two looked at each other, not daring to say more. They could only nod again and again.

Seeing this, Wang Yu left once more.

Over the next several days, he focused on winning over the group of "those who meekly accepted adversity." These people feared threats the most; all it took was a hard-line attitude. But they were also the most likely to turn against him.

The Spirit Slaves had three stewards above them. Steward Duan choosing him did not mean he was the only one. The other stewards would use similar methods as well.

His movements as he went about gathering followers had been far from subtle.

So—he had been noticed!

The twenty-eighth day of his life as a Spirit Slave.

A group of "old men," their faces haggard and aged, their heads covered in tangled white hair, gathered together. All three were at the Qi Refining Second Layer, and they belonged to Steward Liu, one of the three stewards.

"Old Fang, that brat Wang Yu has gathered quite a few newcomers around him lately. There are at least fifty or sixty of them. Do you think Steward Liu will be displeased?"

Old Fang stared unhappily at Wang Yu, who was still moving about.

"What if he is displeased? We can't exactly kill him. Spirit Slaves are all property of Cold Blood Peak. Harming someone in private means not only paying with your life, but suffering inhuman torment before death. Not even your soul can escape."

"Then what do we do?"

"Warn him verbally first. If that doesn't work, break all four of his limbs."

"What if that still doesn't work?"

Old Fang narrowed his eyes at this subordinate. The man backed away repeatedly before Old Fang said, "If conventional methods won't work, then slaughter some old man who is about to die and throw him into Wang Yu's room."

Frame him for the crime.

It was not that they were simple-minded and easily seen through. There were already very few methods that could work among the Spirit Slaves in the Stone House Area, and it was all too easy to break the rules.

That was when they needed the steward behind them to step in.

Whoever was more forceful would gain the loyalty of more Spirit Slaves.

"If you agree, not only will nothing happen to you, but In the future, you may even have hope of becoming an Outer Disciple like me. The future is bright.

"One tael and eight qian of Spirit Sand. It's settled."

Having just persuaded another fellow townsman from Stone Lake City, Wang Yu counted on his fingers. More than half of his agreed-upon target had already been met. He might be able to finish within ten days.

He had no idea whether Steward Duan would keep his promise. He could only gamble. The weak had no right to speak; questioning it would be courting death. He could only choose to believe for now.

Whether through deception or coercion.

He kept that one sentence firmly in mind—[One tael of Spirit Sand belongs to Cold Blood Peak; only the excess belongs to True Inheritor Su!]

Whether he could turn his life around depended on two prerequisites.

1. Steward Duan was willing to pass along the word.

True Inheritor Su was willing to pull him up.

Offering greater benefits was one way to demonstrate his value. On the Demonic Path, that was what worked best.

The fellow townsmen would just have to suffer a little. Just as he was preparing to seek out his next target, more than a dozen spirit slaves surrounded him, blocking him in tightly.

Three more stepped out from among them—the very Spirit Slave Fang and the others who had discussed teaching him a lesson.

"Hey, brat, do you know you've poached beyond your bounds?"

Wang Yu frowned. This was Bluestone Plaza. Not only were twenty Outer Disciples watching, but several stewards were permanently stationed here as well.

More importantly, there were those Stone Lake City natives whom Wang Yu had persuaded and those he had yet to persuade. If he showed weakness or got beaten black and blue, he would be finished.

More than half of those who meekly endured whatever came their way would turn to the stronger side.

They were cutting off his path by surrounding him!

Perhaps Spirit Slave Fang had not thought that deeply. Maybe he simply wanted to frighten Wang Yu and make him give up recruiting more spirit slaves.

But Wang Yu's eyes instantly reddened.

A spirit slave could never turn his life around. Not only did he need to manage things with the caution of treading on thin ice, he also needed to be ruthless—ruthless in heart, ruthless in hand, and even more ruthless as a person—to stand firm.

This opportunity could not be lost!

Steward Duan must have taken this possibility into account when he taught him this spell.

"Ice Sword Technique, go!"

Centered on Wang Yu, the temperature within a radius of several yards plummeted. Three ice swords condensed around him, and with a flick of his finger, the hand and foot of each of the three Qi Refining Second Layer cultivators led by Spirit Slave Fang dropped cleanly to the ground.

Thick, dim blood trickled out in streams.

"Ahhh—"

The onlookers recoiled sharply, fearing the blood would splash onto them.

There had been no exchange of words. The moment they revealed their hostility, they were struck down.

Spirit Slave Fang was terrified, but could only struggle on the ground. The three ice swords had not vanished after their first attack; under Wang Yu's hand seals, they returned once more.

Blood Burning Spiritual Power and fresh blood intermingled across them, turning them completely into blood-red ice swords.

"Wang Yu, you can't kill me!

"Spirit slaves are forbidden from killing one another! If I die, you'll pay with your life too."

Wang Yu remained unmoved. His hand seals changed, and the three bloodstained ice swords shot out again. At that very moment, a small seal came crashing down, abruptly expanding in midair.

It crushed all three of Wang Yu's ice swords into powder.

Steward Duan arrived in a flash, sweeping his sleeve to retrieve the Magical Artifact into it. He frowned at Wang Yu.

"Calm down."

At the sight of his backer, Wang Yu promptly put on an aggrieved expression. He was pretending to be mad, not truly mad, and hurriedly spoke first.

"Steward Duan, you've finally come! You must uphold justice for Wang Yu!

"I don't even know this man. I was listening to the Outer Disciples' lecture and had just gained some insight when they surrounded me without a word, intending to remove my arms and legs.

"I gave half my lifespan to the Saint Sect, all so I could hand over Spirit Sand as soon as possible and make my contribution. Yet these people wanted to kill someone like me, who has devoted himself to the Saint Sect."