"Just a Soul King, yet so many factions think so highly of him. He's even climbed onto Dugu Bo's lofty branch. That kid has some ability," Yu Luomian said gravely.
A disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan spoke up for himself. "Deputy Sect Master, Qin Yuan has reportedly already broken through to Spirit Emperor. According to information from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, they made contact with him over two years ago, when he had only just broken through to Soul King."
"For a thirty-year-old Soul King to reach Spirit Emperor in just over two years is unheard of. In my opinion, Qin Yuan must have stumbled upon some extraordinary opportunity that greatly accelerated his cultivation. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is paying him so much attention because they may see hope of him becoming a Titled Douluo one day!"
Yu Luomian nodded thoughtfully. "Sword Bone Douluo is getting on in years, and he's a holdover from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's previous generation. Ning Fengzhi is pulling out every stop to build a following for Ning Rongrong."
"I'm afraid Ning Fengzhi had Ning Rongrong spend so much time with Qin Yuan back then precisely to win him over."
The disciple suggested, "Deputy Sect Master, if he truly has a chance of becoming a Titled Douluo, shouldn't the clan bring him into the fold before anyone else does?"
"As one side wanes and the other waxes, the clan might even have a chance to claim the top spot among the Upper Three Sects."
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had always been hostile to outsiders, leaving Yu Luomian torn.
If their guess was right and they recruited Qin Yuan into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, should they train him as a Core Disciple?
But every Core Disciple in the clan belonged to a faction.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan might look like a sect, but it was really a sprawling family made up of villages. Though everyone in those villages shared a surname, their blood ties had long since thinned. They stayed together purely because there was something to gain.
If an outsider like Qin Yuan became a Core Disciple, which faction would he belong to?
It would be one thing if he joined Yu Luomian's faction. But if he joined Yu Yuanzhen's, how could Yu Tianxin compete with Yu Tianheng for the position of Young Sect Master with a renowned teacher like Qin Yuan helping him?
If they trained Qin Yuan only as an outer disciple, his ties to the clan would remain weak after he became a Titled Douluo. He could leave at any time.
In the end, Yu Luomian would have sewn the wedding clothes for someone else. How could he accept that?
"Deputy Sect Master, do you mean we shouldn't recruit him?" the disciple asked anxiously.
A wicked smile touched Yu Luomian's lips as he tapped the table. "According to the reports, Qin Yuan also owns a small shop and recently recruited a squad to take on commissions."
"Give them a commission. We won't just recruit Qin Yuan—we'll make him serve our faction with unwavering loyalty. That's what's in our best interests."
The disciple gave him a thumbs-up. "Deputy Sect Master, that's brilliant. I know what to do."
Golden Saber Shop.
Following Qin Yuan's many instructions, Chen Ze had been quietly recruiting members of Soul Hunting Squads who were struggling to make ends meet.
At first, no one answered their call. Qin Yuan had little reputation then, and no one gave him the time of day.
But as the major factions began falling over one another to woo him, Qin Yuan suddenly became a hot commodity. Plenty of Soul Hunting Squads came knocking to sign up, hoping to secure a future for themselves once he joined a powerful faction.
Of course, most Soul Hunting Squads had poor reputations.
That did not mean every member was a "bad person." In Qin Yuan's former Golden Saber Squad, he and Chen Ze had kept to their principles, but the others had not. Otherwise, there would never have been a purge within the squad.
So Chen Ze picked through the applicants and recruited ten members to form a squad.
The squad had been together for only two days and had barely finished its training to work together when its first commission arrived.
The visitor was none other than a disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. He did not invoke the clan's name, however, instead placing the commission as a private individual.
"You want us to escort your employer into Thunder Canyon to hunt Spirit Beasts?" The corners of Chen Ze's mouth twitched.
Thunder Canyon was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's private territory. The Spirit Beasts living there were raised by the clan, and outsiders were forbidden from entering to hunt them.
The man in front of him had not revealed his identity, yet he wanted them to take someone into Thunder Canyon. Wasn't he deliberately digging a pit for them to fall into?
The man smiled and explained, "Thunder Canyon actually has two entrances. One is inside the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's territory. The other is hidden in a secluded spot outside it."
"The canyon's natural conditions are harsh, so hardly anyone guards that entrance. People can come and go freely."
"Besides, we only need a Second Spirit Ring. It doesn't need to be very old, so we can find and kill a suitable Spirit Beast on the outskirts."
"Thunder Canyon is surrounded by lightning year-round. Even the noise of a fight would be hard to notice. We'll leave as soon as we've obtained the Spirit Ring. What risk is there?"
"If your squad accepts the commission, I'm willing to pay a deposit of one thousand Gold Soul Coins, with another two thousand Gold Soul Coins upon completion."
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