Long Ling'er accepted it with both hands, her fingertips trembling slightly the instant they touched the paper.
She lowered her head to look at the words "free citizen" on the document, and her eyes suddenly grew warm.
In truth, these things were only useful for low-level Soul Masters and ordinary people. Once someone cultivated beyond Soul King, they were essentially useless.
After all, capturing a Soul King came at a price, while capturing a Soul Ancestor could be done with ease!
Seeing this, Hecly tactfully rose. "If Your Highness has any further instructions, please feel free to speak. Otherwise, I shall trouble you no further."
Su Yu nodded and stood. "That won't be necessary."
He turned and walked out. Long Ling'er hurried after him, her steps much lighter.
The two walked side by side toward the private room, light spilling through the carved window lattices onto the corridor floor.
Su Yu glanced at Long Ling'er beside him. She could hardly conceal her joy at regaining her freedom. He asked:
"Long Ling'er, Long isn't a common surname. How did you end up being captured and brought to the Beast Arena?"
At his words, Long Ling'er's steps briefly faltered. Her smile faded a little, and her voice grew subdued:
"Your Highness, there's something you don't know... Aside from the condemned criminals and families of disgraced officials the announcers often mention, there's actually another source of beast slaves for the Beast Arena."
She looked up at Su Yu, a trace of lingering fear flashing through her eyes:
"They regularly send teams of Soul Masters roaming across the continent, specifically to capture unaffiliated Soul Masters like me."
"After all, they have to wait for sentences to be passed on disgraced officials' families, and there are only so many condemned criminals."
"To them, capturing unaffiliated