Chapter 1087: Constantly Moving Forward
Yang Haoran's current team in Gu Mo City consisted of only a few people, so introductions didn't take long. In just a short while, they had all finished introducing themselves.
The reason for such swiftness, of course, was that their introductions were merely superficial; a detailed exchange would naturally not have been so quick.
Yang Haoran had no strong opinions on this. After all, they had just met, so a simple introduction sufficed. Once they interacted more over time, they would naturally become better acquainted. A more detailed introduction now held little significance.
After the introductions concluded, Yang Haoran took out two Soul Pills and awarded them to Shui Ling and Lu Wu respectively. The two had contributed a great deal over the past month, and in line with Yang Haoran's character, contributions naturally warranted rewards. However, his gifts were truly too valuable. Not only did they startle Shui Ling and Lu Wu, the recipients, but Xiang Chuan, Huang Sha, and Yao Guozhi were also taken aback by Yang Haoran's generosity.
Among the group, aside from Yang Haoran, Xiang Chuan, the Pharmacist, was naturally the wealthiest. Truth be told, one or two Soul Pills were actually nothing to Xiang Chuan. While two Soul Pills were indeed very valuable, they weren't enough to genuinely shock him.
His shock stemmed from the fact that he didn't believe Shui Ling and Lu Wu's contributions over the past month were worth a Soul Pill. He also believed Yang Haoran understood this perfectly, yet Yang Haoran still bestowed one Soul Pill upon each of them. Such lavish generosity was the true reason for his astonishment.
If even he, a wealthy Pharmacist, was stunned by Yang Haoran's generosity, then Huang Sha and Yao Guozhi were even more so.
Huang Sha was a little better off. No matter what, he was a powerful demon, and in the realm of non-ordinary individuals, he had seen far more storms than Yao Guozhi, a mere mortal. Thus, his inner shock was somewhat less than Yao Guozhi's.
While Yao Guozhi's experience in the non-ordinary world was not as extensive as Huang Sha's, he was, after all, Lecheng's Deputy Administrative Chief, so he still possessed a certain level of insight. He knew what a Soul Pill was, and in his eyes, an entire Soul Pill was an utterly priceless treasure. Yang Haoran casually produced two Soul Pills, displaying extreme nonchalance, so how could he not be shocked?
They had been Night Watchers for quite some time. They had seen whole Soul Pills before, but they had never actually possessed one. Today marked the first time they truly owned an entire Soul Pill.
Precisely for this reason, as Yang Haoran bestowed a Soul Pill upon each of them, their hearts swelled with intense excitement, in addition to their shock.
However, Shui Ling did not let her emotions overwhelm her. After a brief surge of excitement, she regained her composure.
"Emissary," she began, "an entire Soul Pill is truly too valuable. This past month, your subordinate has not accomplished anything earth-shattering. I am truly unworthy of an entire Soul Pill."
Shui Ling's thoughts at this moment were largely similar to Xiang Chuan's. She didn't believe her efforts this past month qualified her for a Soul Pill. In her view, she had merely done her duty, and not even perfectly, making her entirely undeserving of Yang Haoran's reward.
Shui Ling's words served as a wake-up call for the excited Lu Wu. Though Lu Wu was a hothead, he wasn't beyond redemption. Shui Ling had made her point so clear, how could he not understand?
"Emissary," he stammered, "This. . . Shui Ling is right. We haven't accomplished anything significant this month. We truly shouldn't accept such a valuable reward."
Although Lu Wu deeply yearned for a Soul Pill, Shui Ling's words had sobered him, jolting him from his excitement. He realized that he, too, was truly unworthy of accepting this Soul Pill, which was why he addressed Yang Haoran with those words, though his delivery lacked Shui Ling's forthrightness.
Yang Haoran smiled, took a sip of wine, and then spoke.
"If you haven't achieved anything yet, then achieve something that satisfies me in the future," he said. "Though these two Soul Pills are precious, compared to your lives, they are worth nothing. Following me means your future will undoubtedly be very dangerous, so you must possess sufficient strength for your chances of survival to increase."
Shui Ling and Lu Wu exchanged glances. Neither immediately agreed nor refused, both wearing expressions of hesitation.
Yang Haoran observed their reactions, then gently set down his wine cup and calmly continued speaking.
"You two are not far from opening your Heaven Souls, especially Lu Wu, who is just a step away. If each of you refines this Soul Pill, then I believe you both should have no problem successfully opening your Heaven Souls. Once you open your Heaven Souls, your strength will multiply. In the future, when carrying out missions, you will have more capital to survive, and you will be better able to complete the tasks I assign you. Conversely, if your strength is insufficient, not only will you be unable to complete the tasks I assign, I might even have to collect your corpses, and that's not the outcome I want to see. Therefore, you had best accept the Soul Pills I've granted you; don't have any psychological burden."
Although both Shui Ling and Lu Wu felt unworthy of accepting the Soul Pills Yang Haoran had bestowed upon them, Yang Haoran had spoken his piece, leaving them no room to refuse further. After a slight hesitation, they finally accepted their respective Soul Pills.
On one hand, both felt that Yang Haoran's words were very reasonable. On the other, they could sense that Yang Haoran wasn't deliberately testing them; he genuinely wanted to give them the two Soul Pills to help them increase their strength. When their superior showed such sincerity, stubbornly refusing would only make them seem ungrateful.
Thus, neither of them refused again. With excitement and an inexpressible gratitude, they accepted the entire Soul Pills Yang Haoran had bestowed upon them. And Yang Haoran's standing in their hearts, thanks to these two Soul Pills, naturally rose to a new height.
Before the meeting dispersed, Yang Haoran made some further arrangements for the group, primarily emphasizing that Shui Ling and Lu Wu should use the Soul Pills in their possession as quickly as possible to achieve breakthroughs and open their Heaven Souls.
After the meeting, Shui Ling and Yao Guozhi were the first to leave the Death God Temple, heading to the area under the Underworld Division's jurisdiction. They needed to complete a detailed handover. Although Shui Ling was eager to refine the Soul Pill Yang Haoran had awarded her, completing the handover with Yao Guozhi was more important to avoid wasting his time, so she naturally prioritized it.
As for Lu Wu, he first briefed the Night Watchers under his command, conveying the main points of the meeting. Immediately afterward, he rushed back to his residence to absorb and refine the Soul Pill Yang Haoran had bestowed upon him.
He was already on the verge of opening his Heaven Soul, but he had consistently lacked the Pure Yin Qi to take that final step. Since Gu Mo City's former Undertaker had died, his source of Pure Yin Qi had been cut off, leaving him feeling as if ten thousand ants gnawed at his heart. He was clearly just one step away, yet he could never take it, preventing his breakthrough in realm and increase in strength. Hunted and oppressed by Spirit Mediums every day, he felt incredibly stifled and aggrieved.
Now, with Yang Haoran's bestowed Soul Pill, he was one hundred percent certain he could successfully open his Heaven Soul. Once opened, it would be an entirely new realm. Even if he didn't become a true Underworld Official with an immortal body, simply being able to open his Heaven Soul and possess a Soul Armament was something he had always yearned for.
It was precisely for this reason that he had rushed back to his residence to refine the Soul Pill, for he was now incredibly eager to open his Heaven Soul.
Under Yang Haoran's arrangements, the others busied themselves with their respective tasks, all except Xiang Chuan, who had no assigned duties. The main reason for this was Yang Haoran's lingering distrust.
Though Xiang Chuan constantly called him "Big Brother," his tone sickeningly intimate, Yang Haoran knew perfectly well that Xiang Chuan was incredibly slick. His friendly address didn't mean he truly viewed Yang Haoran as his older brother; Xiang Chuan was merely trying to make him lower his guard. Therefore, Yang Haoran remained somewhat wary of Xiang Chuan. To prevent Xiang Chuan from stirring up unnecessary trouble, he rarely assigned him any tasks, and even when he did, he almost never let Xiang Chuan carry them out alone, instead sending someone to accompany him.
However, he wasn't planning on letting Xiang Chuan continue like this indefinitely. Once they had stabilized their position in Gu Mo City, he would naturally make full use of Xiang Chuan's value. Xiang Chuan was a Spirit Medicine practitioner, and the medicines he refined were incredibly valuable. His pharmacy in the Underworld was in dire need of such treasures, so he certainly wouldn't let Xiang Chuan remain idle for long.
Furthermore, sometimes being too idle could lead to even more trouble.
Yang Haoran went alone to the apex of the temple's main hall. Aside from the towering Death God Dharma Body, this was the highest point in the entire temple. Standing here, he could take in the full view of the Death God Temple's situation.
Although this Death God Temple had only recently been completed, many believers had already arrived. Apart from a small number who were the most devout remaining believers from this area, the vast majority were ordinary people seized from the Corpse-Controlling Gate's territory. Whether they had previously believed in the Death God was irrelevant; now that they were people of this region, they had to worship the Death God and no other deity.
Yang Haoran watched the believers who had come to worship the Death God, observing them burn incense, kneel, bow, and pray before the Death God statue. There was no smile on his face, but his expression was natural.
After observing these believers for a moment, he shifted his gaze, subtly raising his head to look at the Death God statue's face, his mind lost in thought.
Who knew how long passed, but then a faint smile appeared on his face, and he murmured to himself.
"Although this path is still very long, as long as I work hard enough, the distance will grow shorter and shorter. Once Shui Ling and Lu Wu successfully open their Heaven Souls, it will be time for me to acquire some resources for myself. Spirit Mediums would be a good choice."
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