The First Prince Dai Weisi's Recruitment!

Gengjin Spirit Arena, top-floor VIP room.

Heavy animal-skin carpets stretched all the way from the entrance to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Bronze lampstands stood on both sides, and warm yellow candlelight brightly illuminated the entire room.

A wide mahogany chair sat by the window, a luxurious outer robe with golden-thread patterns draped over its backrest.

Dai Weisi sat on the chair with his legs crossed, holding a delicate glass cup in his hand. The amber-colored wine inside gave off a warm luster under the light.

He was twenty-one years old, tall and well-proportioned, with a handsome face and a sharp temperament unique to the Star Luo Empire imperial family between his brows.

As the First Prince of the Star Luo Empire and the primary heir to the crown prince position, he had been traveling and managing various places over the years, recruiting talent and accumulating strength to prepare for his future ascension to the throne.

Coming to Gengjin City today was originally to inspect an imperial-owned mine. Hearing that the Gengjin Spirit Arena had always been known for its cruelty and bloodshed, he simply dropped by to watch the commotion.

Yet he had not expected to witness such a crushing kill.

In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the VIP room, that previous scene was still replaying repeatedly in his mind.

That Soul King called Butcher had a bulky build, ferocious attacks, and acted arrogantly and domineeringly in the fighting ring. In the end, he was pierced right through the head by a masked, thin figure from the opposite side in a single exchange, not even having time to react.

A fatal blow, clean and neat, with precision of force that made one's scalp tingle.

A fifty-seventh-rank Soul King, blasted in the head with a single punch.

Dai Weisi put down the glass cup in his hand, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

"Old Xu."

A middle-aged man wearing a grey short robe hurried forward from the corner, bowing as he spoke: "Your Highness."

"Can you tell the background of that masked person on the ring just now?"

Old Xu was one of Dai Weisi's most capable subordinates, and in his early years, he had also been a Soul Master who traveled far and wide, possessing sharp insight and seasoned experience.

He pondered for a moment, saying in a low voice: "Reporting to Your Highness, that person attacked too fast, and this subordinate only saw that his Martial Soul should be of the lightning-attribute agility-attack type, possessing extremely fast speed and terrifying explosive power. During the final fatal blow, he seemed to have worn some kind of apparatus on his hand, and a flash of golden light could be seen, though what specifically it was remained unclear."

"What about his rank?"

"At the very least, he is at the Soul King level. It is difficult to judge the exact rank, but to be able to instantly kill the fifty-seventh-rank Butcher, he must be at least above rank sixty. He might have hidden his Soul Power."

Dai Weisi nodded, his fingers continuing to tap on the armrest.

After a few breaths of silence, he spoke: "Old Xu, go on a trip and represent me in inviting this friend over for a chat. Keep the attitude courteous, and say that I, Dai Weisi, wish to make friends with him."

"Yes."

Old Xu bowed and retreated, hurrying downstairs.

Dai Weisi turned his head to the side again and said to another subordinate: "A-Fu, go investigate this person. What is his background, when did he arrive in Gengjin City, where is he staying, and has he had any contact with anyone. The more detailed, the better."

"This subordinate will go right away." Another lean man also quickly vanished at the doorway.

Dai Weisi picked up the glass cup again, his gaze passing through the floor-to-ceiling windows to look at the gradually dispersing crowd below, a meaningful smile hanging at the corner of his mouth.

A twelve or thirteen-year-old, terrifyingly powerful, lightning-attribute agility-attack Soul King, who also wore a mask and was unwilling to show his true face.

A person with such traits could only have two possible origins: either he was a death soldier secretly cultivated by some major faction, or he was a solo rogue cultivator powerhouse.

If it was the latter, then he was worth a personal move from himself.

Old Xu went downstairs, passed through the crowded lobby into the contestant passage, and happened to see Huang Yun walking out from inside.

He walked up quickly, stopped at a distance of three paces away from Huang Yun, cupped his fists in salute, and spoke with a respectful attitude: "Please pause, Your Excellency."

Huang Yun's footsteps halted, and he turned his head to glance at him.

Although Old Xu wore an inconspicuous grey robe, Huang Yun's Lightning Falcon Eyes instantly swept across his entire body, sensing the steady and restrained Soul Power fluctuations on this person—he was at the Soul Emperor level, and possessed a solid foundation of at least rank sixty-five or above.

A Soul Emperor had run over to look for him, and was moreover an errand-runner dressed in casual clothes.

Huang Yun did not move, his tone flat: "Something the matter? It seems we don't know each other?"

Old Xu smiled: "My master wishes to invite Your Excellency to move elsewhere for a chat. It is right in the VIP room upstairs, and won't delay Your Excellency for too long."

"Who is your master?"

Old Xu lowered his voice: "The First Prince of the Star Luo Empire, His Highness Dai Weisi."

Huang Yun raised his eyebrows slightly.

Dai Weisi?

The first-in-line successor to the crown prince position of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Mubai's biological older brother, that ambitious, ruthless Star Luo First Prince from the original story who ultimately lost the advantage for the succession because he lost to Dai Mubai in the genius tournament.

If he remembered correctly, Dai Weisi should currently also be taking the path of recruiting talent to accumulate forces for himself.

Several thoughts flashed through Huang Yun's heart, though his expression showed no change as he asked: "What do you want with me?"

"His Highness said he wishes to make friends with Your Excellency." Old Xu's smile remained unchanged: "And requests Your Excellency to grace us with your presence."

Huang Yun thought for a moment and did not refuse.

Making a trip there was also fine, just to see what Dai Weisi wanted to do.

Anyway, with his speed, he could leave at any time, and even if Dai Weisi flipped out, he wouldn't be able to keep him.

"Lead the way."

Old Xu breathed a sigh of relief, turned sideways to make a gesture of invitation, and led Huang Yun through a small door at the end of the lobby, ascending the stairs to the top floor.

The hallway was covered with thick carpets, and oil paintings and bronze candlesticks hung on the walls on both sides, looking much more refined than the rough fighting arena environment downstairs.

Old Xu pushed open the innermost carved wooden door and stepped aside.

Huang Yun stepped inside.

The space of the VIP room was not small, decorated luxuriously yet without being flashy.

A young man wearing a deep purple brocade robe stood up from the mahogany chair, wearing a smile while looking him over with a gaze that was gentle yet lacking no sharpness.

Dai Weisi.

Twenty-one years old, forty-first-rank Soul Ancestor.

Given his age and imperial prince status, this rank was not high, but it certainly couldn't be considered low either, at least indicating that he hadn't slacked off in his cultivation.

Huang Yun stood in place with his hands in his pockets, neither saluting nor taking off his mask, just locking eyes with Dai Weisi like that.

Dai Weisi evidently didn't mind these etiquette issues either, smiling as he raised a hand to gesture: "Please take a seat, Your Excellency. There's no need for formalities."

Huang Yun sat down on the neighboring chair without speaking, waiting for the other party to speak first.

Dai Weisi proactively poured a cup of wine and passed it over: "This is the locally brewed Icefire Wine of Gengjin City. The taste is quite mellow, Your Excellency may have a try."

Huang Yun waved his hand: "I don't drink. Let's speak directly, what are you looking for me for?"

Dai Weisi put down the wine cup, the smile on his face not fading while his gaze became a bit more serious: "Just now, Your Excellency's strike in the ring—I happened to see it. Instantly killing a fifty-seventh-rank Soul King with a single blow—such strength, and you can't find a few like that even across the entire Gengjin City. What Dai Weisi admires most in life are people with genuine skill, which is why I presumptuously invited Your Excellency up for a chat."

He paused, picked up his own wine cup to take a sip, and continued: "I am precisely lacking a powerhouse like Your Excellency by my side. If Your Excellency is willing, I can provide the best cultivation resources and the most generous treatment. Soul Tools, medicinal pills, Soul Power guidance methods, spirit ring hunting—as long as it is something Dai Weisi can manage, everything will be supplied to Your Excellency on a priority basis. Glory and wealth, power and status, countless beauties—as long as Your Excellency speaks up, I will never hesitate."

Huang Yun leaned against the back of the chair, quietly listening to him finish.

Dai Weisi looked into his eyes and added another sentence: "Aside from that, I also have some connections and channels within the borders of the Star Luo Empire, which can help Your Excellency resolve many troubles encountered during travels. I only have one request: when I have need of you, Your Excellency can lend a hand."

The room fell quiet for a few breaths.

Huang Yun stood up.

Dai Weisi was slightly stunned, and stood up along with him.

Huang Yun spoke: "I accept your good intentions, but I am accustomed to traveling alone and am not used to serving as someone's subordinate."

The smile on Dai Weisi's face stiffened slightly, but it quickly returned to normal, and his tone remained gentle: "Your Excellency needn't refuse in such a hurry. You can consider it further."

"No need to consider."

Huang Yun turned around and walked toward the doorway without pausing his steps.

Dai Weisi watched his back vanish outside the door, the smile on his face slowly fading.

He sat back down in the chair, picked up that glass cup of wine again, and his gaze sank.

Old Xu walked in from the doorway, speaking in a low voice: "Your Highness, he didn't agree."

"I know." Dai Weisi placed the wine cup on the table and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the tabletop: "Have you investigated his background clearly?"

Old Xu shook his head: "Over at A-Fu's side, there's still no news, but this person came suspiciously, and looking at it, he doesn't look like someone cultivated by any major faction either. For a person of this age to have this level of strength, major factions would treat them like treasures and keep them provided for, not letting them come to the Gengjin Spirit Arena alone to fight life-or-death matches."

Dai Weisi did not speak, his gaze falling upon the gradually darkening sky outside the window.

After a few breaths, he spoke: "Continue investigating. If it truly cannot be investigated, then it shows he really is just a rogue cultivator. For such a person, failing to recruit him once doesn't mean never being able to recruit him. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

Old Xu nodded: "This subordinate understands."

The lamp flame in the room flickered slightly, and Dai Weisi picked up the wine cup and drank it down in one gulp, his face recovering that composed, faint smile once more.