The cold glint in Wei Xuan's eyes faded. "Since that's settled," he said evenly, "we'll proceed as agreed—mutual benefit for both sides."
Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui both nodded. Truthfully, even if Wei Xuan hadn't been able to resolve the Evil Soul Masters' Martial Soul problem, they would still have sought an alliance with him.
With Xu Tiannan dead, they needed someone to fill the power vacuum—and Wei Xuan was the perfect choice.
Now that he had proven his extraordinary value, the alliance was no longer optional—it was a necessity, even if it meant yielding some initiative to him.
After a moment of thought, Ye Xishui asked, "How do you intend to assist my cult's members with their Martial Souls?"
Wei Xuan replied, "You should've noticed by now—at my current Soul Power level, helping even a Soul King strains me. As for those above… that's beyond my current limit."
After pondering briefly, he added, "Let's focus on Soul Elders and those below for now. Send ten people every half month—I'll handle them in batches."
Ye Xishui frowned. "Only ten every two weeks? That's far too slow. Barely two hundred people a year? The efficiency is pathetic—you could do far more."
Wei Xuan's tone remained indifferent. "I have many responsibilities. I can't spend all my time fixing your people's problems."
Her expression darkened instantly. Few dared speak to the Death God Douluo in that tone.
"Xishui," Long Xiaoyao said quickly, grabbing her arm and giving a subtle shake of his head.
"With His Highness's talent," Long Xiaoyao reasoned, "the more time he has to cultivate, the faster his strength will rise. Once his Soul Power increases, he'll be able to treat higher-level members. That benefits everyone."
Ye Xishui's gaze softened slightly. After thinking it through, she had to admit—it made sense. Giving Wei Xuan time to grow would yield far greater returns later.
Wei Xuan gave Long Xiaoyao an appreciative look. Compared to Ye Xishui's impulsiveness, he was far more composed and farsighted.
An hour later, Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao departed the courtyard with their four subordinates.
Because Wei Xuan had consumed too much Soul Power earlier, he hadn't attempted another purification. The rest of the meeting was spent finalizing their terms.
After a few quiet words with Wei Xuan, Kong Deming also took his leave.
"Your Highness," Jing Hongchen asked once they were alone, "do you really think the Holy Spirit Cult will keep their word?"
"They'll have to," Wei Xuan said softly. "If they truly wish to walk openly in this world again, change is unavoidable. There's no room for betrayal."
Jing Hongchen nodded in agreement. "If the Holy Spirit Cult really reforms and stands firmly with the Empire, that would be an incredible boon."
"With their power, the Empire's weakness in pure Soul Master strength could finally be remedied."
He wasn't sure of the Cult's full might, but the presence of two Ultimate Douluo alone proved their extraordinary standing—comparable to, if not beyond, the likes of Shrek Academy or the Body Sect.
The Sun Moon Empire's greatest lack had always been powerful Soul Masters. With the Cult's cooperation, their overall strength could soar by several levels.
And then…
Wei Xuan's eyes gleamed faintly. "They will, eventually. Once the Empire grows stronger, we won't even need to demand loyalty—they'll offer it themselves."
Jing Hongchen turned to him, surprise flickering in his gaze, followed by admiration.
Wei Xuan noticed and frowned slightly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing," Jing Hongchen said with a smile. "It's just… remarkable. You may be young, but you think and act with the wisdom of someone far older."
"Your insight into human nature, your composure, your foresight—if I didn't know better, I'd think you'd lived a hundred years already."
Wei Xuan chuckled softly. "Who knows? Maybe I really have." He said it lightly, as though joking, and turned to leave the courtyard.
Jing Hongchen blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing. "If you've lived a hundred years, then I've lived ten thousand!"
"Braggart," he added, still laughing as he followed Wei Xuan out.
Four Years Later — The Extreme North
A tall, handsome youth darted across the endless white tundra, pale blue hair streaming behind him like silk in the wind.
He was Wei Xuan, now twelve years old. Though traces of youth lingered in his features, his expression carried a calm maturity beyond his age.
His deep, tranquil eyes gleamed like still water beneath starlight—profound and unreadable.
At the moment, however, he was being chased by a soul beast.
"Boom… boom… boom…"
Behind him thundered a massive Snow Ape, over five meters tall even on all fours, its colossal frame radiating brute power.
Thick muscles rippled beneath its pale fur, each step shaking the frozen ground. Its savage eyes glowed with murderous intent, its aura fierce and violent.
This was a soul beast of nearly forty thousand years, one of the stronger creatures in the Extreme North.
And because of its innate ice attribute, the beast's power was amplified in this environment.
Even a typical Soul Douluo might struggle against it here.
The Extreme North was a realm of bitter cold and thin air—those without ice-aligned Martial Souls would find their strength suppressed.
Thus, few could handle such a beast even with equivalent cultivation.
For Wei Xuan, matching such a monster head-on was impossible without revealing his true strength.
Hence, the chase.
Of course, that only applied if he didn't use his divine consciousness. If he unleashed his true power, the Snow Ape would fall in an instant.
"This big guy's got some persistence," Wei Xuan said with a faint smile, sprinting across the snowfields like a pale blur.
His movements were agile as a snow leopard, each step precise and powerful.
A sixth-rank propulsion unit on his back roared softly, propelling him forward in bursts that spanned dozens of meters at a time, easily keeping him ahead of the beast.
He moved with practiced rhythm, using terrain shifts to change direction midair and fire counterattacks with chilling precision.
The Snow Ape, mighty as it was, favored raw strength over speed.
Even with its immense cultivation, it could not match Wei Xuan's pace.
Its speed rivaled that of a Soul Emperor-level agility-type Soul Master—
but with his propulsion device, Wei Xuan's mobility equaled, if not surpassed, that level entirely.
Coupled with his disruptive strikes, the ape could never close the distance.
(End of Chapter)