Jing Hongchen's eyes lit up. "Your Highness means...?"
Xu Yanli turned around, still wearing that gentle smile, but Jing Hongchen inexplicably felt a chill crawl down his back.
"We can guide them in secret. There's no need to do it openly." His voice was soft, yet every word landed with crystal clarity. "Evil Soul Masters can be used by anyone, borrowed by anyone. But they must never stand beneath the sun. They're like monsters lurking in the shadows. Once exposed, everyone will turn against both the people using them and the Evil Soul Masters themselves."
Jing Hongchen's pupils contracted slightly.
He understood.
Xu Yanli didn't want to eradicate the Evil Soul Masters completely. He wanted to use them as a blade.
That blade had to stay hidden in the dark, and the harder it struck the enemy, the better.
But the moment it was exposed to sunlight, the one cut by the blade would be the hand holding it.
Just like Xu Tianran.
In the original story, he had worked with the Holy Spirit Cult and ended up abandoned by everyone.
Xu Yanli wouldn't follow that old path.
He wanted to wield the Evil Soul Masters like a blade, yet leave them forever beyond redemption, condemned to live in the shadows.
"Your Highness is wise." Jing Hongchen lowered his head, concealing the complicated emotions in his eyes.
Xu Yanli waved a hand, signaling for him to remove the soundproof barrier.
The moment the barrier vanished, the noise from the practice arena came rushing in.
He sat back down beside Gu Yuena, as if the sinister scheming from just moments ago had never happened.
Gu Yuena turned her head. Her purple eyes settled on his face, a hint of scrutiny in their depths.
She hadn't been able to hear what they