Chapter 1095: No Reason to Believe
Yang Haoran's words caused the smile to fade from Zhuang Yingjie's face. After a moment of thought, he finally nodded at Yang Haoran.
"It seems this is the only way. However, I hope Soul-Sower Yang will remember his promise; once Ye Zhiqiu emerges from seclusion, you must notify me immediately!"
With those words, Zhuang Yingjie rose from his seat, then retrieved a Communication Talisman from his independent space and left it on the table beside him.
"I have other matters to attend to, so I won't disturb Soul-Sower Yang any further. My arrival today was a bit rushed, and I apologize for any offense I may have caused. I hope Soul-Sower Yang won't take it to heart."
Zhuang Yingjie spoke to Yang Haoran, then with a wave of his hand, he tore open the space beside him. From his demeanor, it seemed he was preparing to leave immediately.
Seeing Zhuang Yingjie about to depart, Yang Haoran didn't remain seated. He extinguished his cigarette, then rose with a smile.
"Guild Master Zhuang, leaving so soon? Won't you stay for a drink? Although our Gu Mo City Underworld Office is still quite poor, we can certainly afford to entertain Guild Master Zhuang properly."
Zhuang Yingjie waved his hand, refusing Yang Haoran.
Zhuang Yingjie's words were decisive, and besides their decisiveness, they subtly hinted at a touch of displeasure. Yang Haoran smiled, making no further attempt to persuade him.
"Since Guild Master Zhuang has urgent matters to handle, then as your friend, I certainly can't delay your important business. We're all in Gu Mo City; there will be plenty of opportunities to meet in the future. Indeed, there's no need to rush our drinks and pleasantries now."
Yang Haoran's words reeked of insincerity, but Zhuang Yingjie wasn't foolish enough to call him out. He simply nodded symbolically, said not another word to Yang Haoran, and stepped into the spatial rift.
The spatial rift quickly healed, and Zhuang Yingjie vanished without a trace. Yang Haoran retracted his gaze and then looked at the Night Watchers outside the reception hall.
"Your reactions just now were very swift. I am pleased and satisfied. I hope you can maintain this in the future. Now that there's nothing, you may withdraw."
Having spoken, Yang Haoran turned his gaze back to Lu Wu, who had just successfully opened his Heaven Soul.
"You stay. But first, withdraw the Spirit Power you're radiating. Don't be so ostentatious, as if you're afraid others won't know you, Lu Wu, have opened your Heaven Soul."
The Night Watchers bowed and withdrew, while Lu Wu chuckled and closed his Heaven Soul. As his Heaven Soul closed, the cluster of Yin Qi nurturing his Soul Armament instantly vanished, and his powerful Spirit Power receded back into his body.
Behind Yang Haoran, Huang Sha also retracted his Demon Power. With Zhuang Yingjie gone, there was no longer much point in continuously unleashing his Demon Power.
Upon entering the reception hall, Lu Wu seemed to remember something, and the smile on his face immediately disappeared, replaced by a serious expression.
Seeing this, Yang Haoran quickly waved his hand, setting up a restrictive barrier that enveloped the entire reception hall.
"Soul-Sower, didn't that Three-Star Demon Hunter leave our temple a long time ago? Did he return while I was in seclusion?"
No sooner had Yang Haoran set up the restrictive barrier than Lu Wu's booming voice rang out in the reception hall. Looking at Lu Wu's serious demeanor, Yang Haoran smiled, but this smile was different from the one he wore when facing Zhuang Yingjie; it held a touch more helplessness, a touch more humanity.
"Walls have ears. Without any protective measures, don't ask or say everything. Some matters, once leaked, will bring unnecessary trouble."
Yang Haoran's words made Lu Wu realize his oversight, and an embarrassed expression immediately appeared on his face.
"I apologize, Soul-Sower. It was my carelessness just now that made me overlook this issue."
Yang Haoran smiled and waved his hand, showing no intention of blaming Lu Wu.
"I've spent some time with you, and I understand your character somewhat. While I don't blame your recklessness, I hope you'll pay more attention to this in the future."
Lu Wu quickly affirmed, his attitude extremely respectful. In front of Soul-Sower Yang Haoran, he lacked the arrogance he'd shown towards Zhuang Yingjie, acting like a docile child.
"Congratulations on successfully opening your Heaven Soul. How do you feel?"
When Yang Haoran brought this up, Lu Wu immediately became spirited. He didn't pursue the previous question, but instead grinned at Yang Haoran.
"It feels amazing! This subordinate was able to successfully open his Heaven Soul entirely thanks to the Soul Pill bestowed by the Soul-Sower. Because of this Soul Pill from the Soul-Sower, this subordinate not only opened his Heaven Soul but also made significant progress within the Heaven Soul realm. Now, this subordinate feels brimming with power and truly wishes to find someone for a good fight! " Lu Wu said excitedly.
"Don't worry, in this Gu Mo City, there will be plenty of opportunities for a fight, and that day will arrive very soon. However, what I hope to see is you earning merits for me, not me erecting a monument for you. " Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"Soul-Sower, don't worry. My bones, Lu Wu, are very hard; no dog can gnaw them off. It won't be that simple to kill me! " Lu Wu confidently promised.
"Your confidence makes me feel much more at ease. Now that you've emerged from seclusion, quickly go and manage your squad, because I might assign you a mission at any time. It would be quite laughable if a mission came and you were still clueless. " Yang Haoran said with a smile.
After receiving his orders, Lu Wu respectfully saluted Yang Haoran and left the reception hall. With Lu Wu's departure, only Yang Haoran and Huang Sha remained in the reception hall.
"Heh heh, do you have many questions in your mind? " Yang Haoran asked Huang Sha with a smile.
Huang Sha hesitated slightly, then finally nodded.
"Indeed, I have some questions, but I believe the boss has his reasons for doing this, so this subordinate will not ask too much."
Huang Sha's answer brought a satisfied expression to Yang Haoran's face.
"You are different from Lu Wu. I don't really doubt Lu Wu's loyalty to me, but he's not cautious enough in his actions. If he knew too much, I'm worried he wouldn't even know how he leaked it. So, for safety's sake, there are some things I can't explain too much to him. " Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"This subordinate not only understands but also strongly supports the boss's approach. This isn't about trust; it concerns individual character. " Huang Sha replied.
Yang Haoran nodded, agreeing with Huang Sha's statement.
"Although some things can't be said to Lu Wu, they must be said to you. After all, you are a demon, and the other party is a Demon Hunter. Just because his target isn't you this time doesn't mean he truly intends to let you go. Perhaps next time, his target might be you."
After a slight pause, Yang Haoran continued.
"Ye Zhiqiu left a long time ago, and you know this. Furthermore, he hasn't returned. The reason I spoke to Zhuang Yingjie that way was merely a temporary delaying tactic. However, I have no idea how long this delaying tactic can last, so you must be vigilant against the Demon Hunter Guild lately. If you encounter any trouble, don't try to be brave; remember to contact me immediately. " Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"Thank you for your concern, boss. This subordinate has noted it. This subordinate will absolutely not act recklessly. " Huang Sha respectfully replied.
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, then gently waved his hand, and the Communication Talisman left by Zhuang Yingjie flew towards him, caught between two fingers.
Looking at the Communication Talisman in his hand, Yang Haoran continued to smile.
"As long as a person is alive, anything is possible. But once they die, all possibilities vanish. You are a demon born from yellow sand, even harder to achieve sentience than plants or animals, requiring hundreds or thousands of times their luck. So, I hope you cherish this hard-won fortune."
Huang Sha didn't answer immediately. He thought seriously for a moment, then respectfully replied to Yang Haoran.
"This subordinate will certainly cherish this hard-won fortune, but if the day truly comes when I need to abandon this fortune, this subordinate will absolutely not cling to life out of greed!"
Huang Sha's answer deepened the smile on Yang Haoran's face. With a gentle flick of his two fingers, the Communication Talisman disappeared between them.
"Heh heh, very good. Although your intelligence-gathering abilities aren't exactly stellar, I'm quite satisfied with you in other aspects. Go about your business. Once Shui Ling emerges from seclusion, if you still want to do this line of work, I'm afraid I won't give you the chance anymore."
Huang Sha respectfully acknowledged the order and withdrew. With Huang Sha's departure, only Yang Haoran remained in the reception hall.
"Heh heh, Zhuang Yingjie, it's not that I don't want to believe you; it's that I can't find any reason to believe you. If you want to play games with me, then I'll just have to play along."
Yang Haoran leaned back in his chair, chuckling to himself.
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