"Wait."
A calm voice, carrying even a hint of gentle amusement, suddenly rang out.
Like a spell, it locked Ming Jiuyou's about-to-step foot in place.
His body suddenly stiffened, and extremely slowly, bit by bit, he turned his head back.
His eyes were crimson, covered in bloodshot veins, his gaze as cold and vicious as a malevolent ghost crawled out from the deepest reaches of the Netherworld.
"What?"
Ming Jiuyou's voice was hoarse.
"Lu Chen! What else do you want? Could you seriously believe that with this inexplicable 'grace', you can manage to keep this Young Master here?!"
The aura around his body surged. Although he knew he was no match, the pride of a Young Master made it utterly impossible for him to surrender without a fight!
Lu Chen simply smiled, his expression remaining as "innocent" and "harmless to humans and animals" as ever.
He gently stroked the Chaos token in his hand and shook his head.
"Young Master has misunderstood."
"Keep you? There's no need. I just suddenly thought of something and wanted to confirm it with Young Master, as well as Elder Tu Ming and the others..."
Lu Chen's gaze swept across the unsightly expression of Ming Jiuyou, then looked toward the respectful expressions of Tu Ming and the two others, his smile deepening.
"Since everyone in the Netherworld Cult has decided that I, Lu Chen, have granted you a 'great grace of saving your lives'."
"Then according to your ironclad rule that 'gratitude and righteousness are greater than the heavens'..."
His tone paused slightly, a flash of sharp insight crossing his eyes.
"Does that mean from this day forth, I, Lu Chen... can also be considered half a member of the Netherworld Cult? Or rather, if I have any matters and seek out the Netherworld Cult..."