"Are you really planning to leave?" Ju Huang looked astonished at Li Ling's words.
Li Ling said, "If I don't, I'm afraid I'll never have a peaceful day.
"And since you've been identified as close associates of mine, you'll probably suffer harassment too. Holding this mountain as your own domain won't be so easy."
Qing Ji said resentfully, "Isn't that all your fault? If you hadn't come here, we could at least have hidden here for several more decades."
Li Ling ignored her outright and continued speaking to Ju Huang. "I want to fulfill my promise ahead of time and set you free, but our previous agreement still has several years left. If I simply leave, wouldn't I be taking a loss? Things have come to this, so consider for yourselves where you want to go from here."
Qing Ji snapped, "You've been getting the better end of the bargain from the start, and you still talk about taking a loss!"
"Sister," Ju Huang interrupted her, "there's no point saying that now."
Then she asked Li Ling, "What do you intend to do, Senior?"
Li Ling said, "I'll give you two choices. First, continue following me, though you may have to go out to sea or handle other matters for me. Second, end our agreement early, but if I summon you for something in the future, you must still come and serve me."
Qing Ji said angrily, "Why does every option benefit you?"
Ju Huang said, "We choose the second, but there's no reason for us to carry an oath for nothing and wait indefinitely. Besides, if you wanted to harm us, you could simply send us against powerful enemies. That would be far too unfair, unless..."
Unexpectedly, she did not propose any restrictions. Instead, her gaze settled on the