Subduing Ju Zi

Not long after, a dark vortex appeared before them.

Bone Douluo Gu An stepped out first, followed by Yan Feng, whose figure resembled his by seven or eight parts.

"Ah, the 'King of Kids' has arrived," Lin Yuan teased with a smile.

"What 'King of Kids'? Young Master, please don't mock me," Yan Feng scratched his head in embarrassment.

Yan Feng was now level thirty-four, having also received a share of the Bone-Melting Grass, a precious herb from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Though not of immortal grade, it was enough to propel the twelve-year-old Yan Feng into the ranks of the continent's top geniuses.

Coupled with the gratitude he felt for Lin Yuan helping him find his family, Yan Feng had completely pledged his loyalty to Lin Yuan.

He was currently training under Bone Douluo, hoping to one day have the capability to assist Lin Yuan.

"Is this the Master Xuan Ziwen you mentioned in your communication, Little Yuan?" Bone Douluo smiled and extended a hand toward Xuan Ziwen.

"Junior Xuan Ziwen, greetings, Your Excellency." Xuan Ziwen nodded and shook hands with Bone Douluo in a friendly manner.

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow and looked at Ke Ke. "A bet is a bet, right?"

"...Hmph!" Ke Ke turned her face away, huffing in anger.

"What are you two talking about?" Xuan Ziwen asked.

Lin Yuan then recounted the wager he had made with Ke Ke.

Ke Ke had assumed Xuan Ziwen would help her out of it, but to her surprise, Xuan Ziwen adjusted his glasses with a knowing look.

"Ke Ke, I am indeed short-handed. You must understand that the development of Soul Tools in the three Douluo empires is quite different from that of the Sun Moon Empire."

"Since you lost the bet to Lin Yuan, you might as well continue to work as my assistant. I can guarantee that when I retire, I will recommend you for my position."

Faced with Xuan Ziwen's promise, Ke Ke wore a troubled expression.

In the end, she sighed helplessly and accepted the proposal to accompany Xuan Ziwen to the Heaven Dou Empire.

"Are you really going to let us go?" The vigilance in Ju Zi's eyes, even after her bonds were removed, had not faded.

She still found it hard to believe that Lin Yuan would let her and Wang Shaojie leave; would he not just turn around and silence them?

"Why wouldn't I?" Lin Yuan shrugged.

"We aren't level-nine Soul Engineers, and Mingde Hall doesn't value Master Xuan Ziwen enough to make a fuss. Besides, we are only here in the Sun Moon Empire for training; surely the authorities aren't so petty?"

Lin Yuan naturally wouldn't just let Ju Zi go without a plan; he knew many things that Ju Zi did not.

At this moment, Xu Tianran should have already begun his cooperation with the Holy Spirit Cult. At the very least, the Holy Spirit Cult would not pass up the chance to feast on a Title Douluo wandering within the borders of the Sun Moon Empire.

He wanted to win Ju Zi over completely. If his strategy failed, he still had a Spirit-type Soul Douluo from the Body Sect waiting in the wings.

After hearing Lin Yuan's words, Ju Zi helped the severely injured and unconscious Wang Shaojie up, preparing to leave.

"I can pretend that we were wiped out in an accident. I owe you a life."

"I'm actually curious now—why are you so willing to follow me, regardless of fame or fortune? Are you really that loyal to the Sun Moon Empire?"

Ju Zi looked up at Lin Yuan. "It's still better than colluding with invaders like you."

"I see." Lin Yuan gave a helpless smile, then his gaze sharpened.

The six words he uttered exploded in Ju Zi's mind like a bomb.

"What about Duke White Tiger?"

"You investigated me?" Ju Zi asked in disbelief.

"I wouldn't dare call it that. I just happened to look into it while I was investigating Master Xuan in Ming Capital a while back."

"How about this? I can promise you the head of Duke White Tiger, as long as you agree to join my ranks."

Cao Xin and Gu An had no thoughts on Lin Yuan's words; what did a duke of the Star Luo Empire have to do with their Heaven Dou Empire?

It sounded noble to say that Duke White Tiger was holding back the military pressure from the Sun Moon Empire.

But who among the upper echelons didn't know that this was actually due to the ongoing deterrence of Shrek?

Duke White Tiger, Dai Hao, was merely a vase placed on the front lines to oppose them; the nobility always needed something to keep them occupied.

"I can rely on my own strength to make Dai Hao pay in blood!" Before she realized it, Ju Zi's face was already filled with rage.

Lin Yuan couldn't help but inwardly lament that this Dai Hao truly was a scoundrel; if not for the intervention of the "Buddha's Formidable Hand," he would have died countless times over.

"But you are, after all, only a Food-type Soul Master, and your talent for Soul Tools isn't good enough to guarantee a kill on Dai Hao."

"As far as I know, to kill him with certainty, you would need at least the strength to defeat a Super Douluo. By the time you reach that level, Dai Hao might have long since retired to the rear to enjoy his twilight years."

Ju Zi shook her head. "I know, but I can use battlefield command..."

"And how many people will die because of that?" Lin Yuan cut her off directly.

"I..."

"Even if you could do it, how many people would die?"

"How many children would be displaced because of your selfish desires?"

"Just for the sake of revenge, you want to ignite a war." Lin Yuan shook his head.

"You like this are even more pathetic than Dai Hao."

Lin Yuan's words suddenly reminded Ju Zi of that time in her childhood.

Having lost her mother back then, she had wandered for a period, and she had practically walked out of her heartbreaking hometown while weeping.

In a trance, she felt as if the other half of her face had transformed into the likeness of Dai Hao, laughing loudly and mocking her.

"You..." Ju Zi only felt her thoughts turn into a tangled mess.

"Give me your guarantee, swear it upon your Martial Soul." In the end, Ju Zi seemed to lose all her strength and said dejectedly to Lin Yuan.

"Very well, I guarantee it." Lin Yuan smiled slightly.

"Then him..." Lin Yuan pointed at the unconscious Wang Shaojie.

Ju Zi's expression turned troubled; when it came down to it, Wang Shaojie was a collateral branch of the Sun Moon imperial family.

In this small team, everyone else could defect to other factions, but he could not.

"He... he agrees as well." Ju Zi made the choice for Wang Shaojie, congratulating classmate Wang Shaojie on his successful treason.

"Good. Then, Teacher Xuan, do you need to be sent back to retrieve anything?" Lin Yuan looked toward Xuan Ziwen.

Xuan Ziwen slowly shook his head in refusal. "There is no need; I carry all my important items with me."

"As for the research environment, I trust the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect will provide me with a satisfactory Soul Tool laboratory."

Lin Yuan nodded in satisfaction and had Ju Zi toss Wang Shaojie to Ke Ke so she could take him back.

After Bone Douluo departed with the others, Lin Yuan took Ju Zi along to continue their journey through the Sun Moon Empire, balancing cultivation with poaching talent.

As for why he kept Ju Zi by his side, besides the fact that she was easy on the eyes, both he and Cao Xin needed a cook.

Lin Yuan had not unlocked the standard protagonist talent for cooking like "Ice," so the things he made were merely edible enough to survive on.

Moreover, the products of most Food-type Soul Masters did not taste much better; after all, being high-and-mighty Soul Masters, they naturally lacked the inclination to study the flavor of food.

Given the extreme environments Lin Yuan faced, ordinary people without Soul Power would never be able to endure them.

Therefore, Ju Zi's presence appeared precious, giving Lin Yuan a bit of spiritual anticipation during these days of arduous cultivation.