Chapter 161: The Carrot and the Stick
Deng Feng cursed for a full ten minutes.
He accused Yang Haoran of abusing his authority, breaking the rules of the Yin Division, and being unworthy of being a Night Watcher.
He said Yang Haoran had wantonly harmed living people, calling him utterly audacious and lawless.
He claimed Yang Haoran was narrow-minded, an Underworld Official who would stoop to squabbling with an ordinary person.
He declared Yang Haoran wasn't a man, willing to lay hands even on a woman.
Yang Haoran didn't argue. He stood there obediently, letting Deng Feng's torrent of reproaches wash over him.
After dutifully listening for ten minutes, Deng Feng finally let out a curse and sat down, fuming.
Yang Haoran knew that Deng Feng had finally vented his anger. Now, he just needed to calm down a little more, and he should return to normal.
When a person has bottled-up anger, they must find a way to release it. It shouldn't be suppressed for too long; the longer it's suppressed, the greater the explosive force, and there's no telling what extreme actions they might take.
A few more minutes passed, and Deng Feng's mood improved considerably. He fixed his gaze on Yang Haoran, frowned, and said, "Look up."
Hearing this, Yang Haoran raised his bowed head, forcing a smile onto his face. It was an ugly smile, looking unnatural from every angle.
Though Deng Feng still had a stern expression, his face was noticeably less grim than before.
"Although you are just a newcomer, I have observed the contributions you've made to the Yin Division during this period. Two months, two Half-step Evil Spirits—this is an achievement unmatched by other Night Watchers. In this regard, I must admit you are very diligent, very outstanding."
First, a harsh scolding, belittling him to nothing. Then, a dash of praise and commendation. The carrot and the stick; this was a manager's habitual tactic.
Yang Haoran put on a fawning smile and quickly said, "It's all thanks to the Emissary's excellent guidance, truly, the Emissary's guidance is magnificent!"
The words that left his mouth even made Yang Haoran himself feel disgusted.
"Hmph, I haven't guided you. No need to flatter me, I don't fall for that."
Although Deng Feng said this, his expression was visibly much better. Yang Haoran saw all this, and while secretly sneering inwardly, his smile became even more humble.
"The Emissary exaggerates. If not for the Emissary, I would still be an ordinary young man, with no chance to truly witness the wonders of this world. All this is due to the Emissary's grace," Yang Haoran said with a smile, clearly having no intention of maintaining any dignity.
"At least you're still a bit conscientious, remembering this Emissary's kindness in recognizing your talent. Unlike some white-eyed wolves, who, once nurtured, grow strong wings and just fly away!"
Yang Haoran smiled without speaking. He knew exactly who Deng Feng was cursing; besides Xu Meijing, who else could it be?
"Do you know who I'm calling a white-eyed wolf?"
Deng Feng's sudden question caught Yang Haoran off guard for a moment. Then, Yang Haoran's face showed an uncertain expression.
"I've heard other Night Watchers mention it before, so I know a little. Is the white-eyed wolf the Emissary spoke of Xu Meijing? " Yang Haoran asked tentatively.
Yang Haoran's mind was as clear as a mirror; how could he not know who Deng Feng was referring to as the white-eyed wolf? However, he was extremely wary of Deng Feng, so he would never show his true self.
"Hmph, who else could it be? This Emissary painstakingly cultivated her, only to be betrayed by her in the end. If it were you, wouldn't you feel disheartened? " Deng Feng said with a stern face.
Yang Haoran sneered inwardly. He didn't know if Deng Feng had truly cultivated Xu Meijing, but Deng Feng had had ulterior motives when he made Xu Meijing a Night Watcher in the first place. Xu Meijing had told him about this matter, so of course, he wouldn't be foolish enough to believe Deng Feng's words now.
Even if he didn't believe it, he had to play along. If he cooperated well, it would be somewhat helpful to him in the future, as he was currently still "eating off Deng Feng's plate."
"If it were me, I would certainly feel disheartened, so I can understand the Emissary's feelings. However, please rest assured, Emissary, I, Yang Haoran, am absolutely not that kind of person. Besides, all the Night Watchers know that Xu Meijing and I don't get along, because I could tell early on that she wasn't someone to be trifled with."
As Yang Haoran spoke, he felt truly bitter (bitter) inside. If Xu Meijing heard these words, with her personality, she would likely tear him apart alive. To play this act well in front of Deng Feng, he had truly gone all out.
Deng Feng, however, didn't doubt Yang Haoran's words, thanks entirely to Yang Haoran's last sentence.
Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing's animosity was not only known among the Night Watchers; he, the Undertaker, had also witnessed it firsthand. After all, during the previous two Soul Qi infusions, the two had almost come to blows right there.
"I can see your diligence. Keep up the good work, and you'll definitely be rewarded. Surpassing other Night Watchers and becoming the top Night Watcher of Lecheng is within reach. I hope you won't disappoint me."
As he spoke, Deng Feng surprisingly retrieved the box he used for the Night Watchers' Soul Qi infusion.
Before, he hadn't known what was truly inside the box, but after Xu Meijing told him, he knew there was a Soul Pill in it.
Deng Feng taking out the box at this moment made a flicker of joy cross Yang Haoran's face. This joy wasn't faked; it came from the heart, but Yang Haoran deliberately showed it for Deng Feng to see.
The fleeting joy on his face was noticed by Deng Feng as expected. Deng Feng intentionally let out a cold snort, while Yang Haoran deliberately gave an embarrassed smile.
"I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm. Therefore, I've decided to return the portion of Pure Yin Qi I withheld from you. However, I don't want a third person to know about this. If you boast about this to other Night Watchers, it will not only displease me but also incur the animosity of other Night Watchers. You are a smart person; I believe you won't do such a foolish thing," Deng Feng said in a deep voice.
"Of course, Emissary, rest assured, I will absolutely not do anything that harms others and benefits no one. I guarantee it," Yang Haoran said with a smile, his expression showing a barely suppressed excitement.
This excitement, of course, was feigned by Yang Haoran. Although Deng Feng's decision did make him happy, it wasn't enough to make him ecstatic to this degree.
"It's best if you have that kind of awareness."
Deng Feng spoke in a deep voice, then with a sweep of his hand, a surge of Pure Yin Qi was drawn from the box and infused into Yang Haoran's body.
Upon receiving this injection of Pure Yin Qi, Yang Haoran clearly felt his Spirit Power grow considerably stronger. Including the previous Soul Qi infusions, the Pure Yin Qi he had gained in these two months was probably more than what other Night Watchers received in a whole year!
"I will clean up the Wang Qing matter for you, but I don't want this to happen a second time. If it does, I'll have no choice but to purge you according to the rules. All right, you may leave."
With a wave of Deng Feng's hand, the box vanished before him. At the same time, he dismissed Yang Haoran.
Usually, Deng Feng would leave first, followed by the Night Watchers one by one. But this time was different; today, he seemed to want to stay alone for a bit longer.
Yang Haoran was in a good mood. Not only had he received a sufficient amount of Pure Yin Qi, but the Wang Qing matter had also been resolved. A weight had been lifted from his chest. Now that Deng Feng told him to leave, he didn't hesitate. After respectfully bowing, he prepared to withdraw.
However, at that moment, Yang Haoran suddenly remembered something he felt was very necessary to tell Deng Feng.
Seeing that Yang Haoran didn't leave immediately, Deng Feng frowned and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something else?"
"Emissary, are you aware of the Spirit Medium's presence in Lecheng? " Yang Haoran asked.
"A Spirit Medium in Lecheng? " Deng Feng's face instantly changed, and then his emotions became agitated.
Yang Haoran hadn't expected Deng Feng's reaction to be so strong, but he remained calm and replied, "When I subdued the Skin-Borrowing Ghost, which is the Half-step Evil Spirit I handed in this time, a Spirit Medium appeared, trying to lure the Half-step Evil Spirit into signing a contract with him. But I killed him."
"Where's his corpse? No, I mean, where is his soul? " Deng Feng asked excitedly.
"His soul was forcibly extracted by me. It's in the Soul-Gathering Bead I handed over to you," Yang Haoran replied.
Beside Deng Feng, there were many Soul-Gathering Beads. These Soul-Gathering Beads were all submitted by the Night Watchers this time, and the one with the most souls was Yang Haoran's.
Upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, Deng Feng quickly waved his hand, and the Soul-Gathering Bead that originally belonged to Yang Haoran immediately floated up and hovered in front of Yang Haoran.
"Get his soul out for me immediately!"
Deng Feng's extreme agitation naturally aroused suspicion in Yang Haoran's heart, but he didn't show it, nor did he hesitate. With a flick of his hand, he extracted Du Xiao's soul from the Soul-Gathering Bead.
The moment his soul was extracted, Du Xiao's Spirit Body transformed into a wisp of Yin Qi, attempting to escape.
During his time inside the Soul-Gathering Bead, more than seven days had passed, and Du Xiao's soul had awoken from its slumber. However, Yang Haoran had been busy drawing talismans and hadn't paid attention. Now, seeing Du Xiao trying to escape, he suddenly remembered the matter.
Du Xiao wanted to escape, but how could Yang Haoran let him succeed? Yet, before he could even act, Deng Feng let out a cold snort—
"Hmph!"
As the cold snort resonated, the space around the hall vibrated, and arm-thick chains materialized out of thin air, binding Du Xiao's soul tightly!
"You thought you could escape right in front of me? You think too highly of yourself! If I truly let you escape, then from now on, I, Deng Feng, will call everyone I meet 'Dad'!"
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