Chapter 172
After hearing Yang Haoran's thoughts, Deng Feng chuckled heartily and said, “Alright, I'll play along with this act of yours. However, persuading that person in the Ghost Building won't be an easy task; it'll require some serious investment. ”
“As long as we can kill that wretched old Du Da, a little investment shouldn't be a loss. ” Yang Haoran said.
Deng Feng smiled, not giving a direct response to Yang Haoran's words. Instead, he looked at Yang Haoran and asked, “You said Du Da implanted a Soul Dispersing Needle in your body? ”
Yang Haoran's expression remained unchanged, but a flicker of anticipation stirred within his heart.
His next step in the plan was impossible without Deng Feng, which was why he had informed Deng Feng about his encounter with Du Da, as it was a crucial part of the process.
Beyond that, he had another purpose: to confirm whether Deng Feng truly couldn't remove the Soul Dispersing Needle from his body, as Du Da claimed, and if indeed no one other than Du Da could extract it.
Not to mention, Yang Haoran found that old man Du Da untrustworthy; it would have been the same with anyone else.
When it came to outsiders, he always listened ten parts but believed only three. As for Du Da's words, in his eyes, they barely held one part credibility; the remaining nine parts he wouldn't give, nor would he dare to.
“That's right, he said only he could undo this Soul Dispersing Needle, and no one else possessed the power, including—including even you. ” Yang Haoran said to Deng Feng.
Deng Feng's eyebrow twitched slightly, but he didn't answer Yang Haoran, merely smiling without a word.
Yang Haoran noted Deng Feng's reaction. On the surface, he remained impassive, but his mind churned with thoughts.
Yang Haoran's expression remained unchanged as he promptly added, “He said if I didn't believe him, I could ask you. ”
This time, Deng Feng did not remain silent. A scornful, cold smile appeared on his face as he declared, “He truly thinks highly of himself, doesn't he? He says I can't do it, so I can't? ”
A hint of joy appeared on Yang Haoran's face, though in his heart, he was pondering the veracity of Deng Feng's words. However, that subtle trace of joy he deliberately showed was caught by Deng Feng.
“First, play your part in this act well. Once he's dealt with, I'll remove the Soul Dispersing Needle from your body. Then, I'll let his soul witness with its own eyes how this Emissary of Death extracts the Soul Dispersing Needle. ”
At this point, a mocking smile appeared on Deng Feng's face as he continued, “There's no knot in this world that can't be untied, and the same goes for various secret arts and forbidden techniques; it's merely a matter of how troublesome they are. While the Soul Dispersing Needle is certainly troublesome, to say no one but Du Da can undo it, hmph, that's just hot air. I truly don't know who gave him such courage to boast. ”
Deng Feng spoke with such conviction, and as Yang Haoran listened, the joy on his face intensified slightly.
The joy on his face, however, was merely an act Yang Haoran put on for Deng Feng. In his heart, he remained half-believing, half-doubting Deng Feng's words.
Nevertheless, one thing was undeniable: Deng Feng's words still offered him some hope.
Yang Haoran naturally wouldn't reveal his true thoughts. After hearing Deng Feng's words, Yang Haoran, with a face full of joy, quickly asked for confirmation, “Can the Emissary of Death truly remove the Soul Dispersing Needle? ”
Deng Feng's face showed displeasure. He let out a cold snort and said, “Do you find my words untrustworthy, or are you questioning my ability? ”
“I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! I'm just a little overwhelmed. I had already prepared myself for death, but I never expected such a turn of events. I'm a bit excited, a bit out of sorts! ” Yang Haoran quickly explained.
After listening to Yang Haoran's explanation, Deng Feng's expression improved. He said, “I could remove the Soul Dispersing Needle right now, but doing so would harm your soul. Therefore, to avoid injuring your soul, I need to make some other preparations. Further, if I were to remove the soul Dispersing needle from your body right now, it would definitely'alert the snake by beating the grass', and how would the rest of the play unfold then? ”
Yang Haoran nodded in agreement, his face filled with joy and excitement, as if he completely believed Deng Feng's words.
Deng Feng's smile reappeared, seemingly pleased with Yang Haoran's current reaction. He then asked, “Why would Du Da believe I value you so highly? ”
He had harbored this doubt since Yang Haoran first spoke of it, but hadn't had the chance to ask. Only now, seeing Yang Haoran's face full of joy, immersed in his delight, did he finally pose the question.
“He learned it from the three other Night Watchers he killed. I imagine it's not just those three deceased individuals who think that way now; other Night Watchers probably harbor similar thoughts as well,” Yang Haoran replied without a moment's hesitation.
“Oh? ” Deng Feng's face showed curiosity.
Seeing this, Yang Haoran then relayed his conjectures to Deng Feng: how he was deliberately spared to avoid other Night Watchers, how he received special training and preferential treatment – he spun a coherent and plausible tale, without exaggeration, yet giving the impression that this was precisely how things were.
Upon hearing this, Deng Feng's face adopted a thoughtful expression. After a moment's consideration, and under Yang Haoran's gaze, he waved a hand and retrieved the wooden box containing the Soul Pill.
“Since he already thinks that way, if I don't do something, it will inevitably raise his suspicions. To eradicate that old fossil, you, my boy, are truly blessed with dumb luck. ”
As Yang Haoran listened to Deng Feng's words and gazed at the wooden box hovering before him, he seemed to realize something, and his expression became somewhat agitated.
Deng Feng, meanwhile, wore a pained expression. With a flick of his hand, he drew a massive amount of Pure Yin Qi from the wooden box and, without another word, directed this immense surge of Pure Yin Qi towards Yang Haoran.
The Pure Yin Qi enveloped Yang Haoran's body. It was so dense that all one could see was a mass of black gas, completely obscuring Yang Haoran himself. Yet, at this moment, Yang Haoran was like a sponge, rapidly absorbing this vast surge of Pure Yin Qi.
Under its influence, the Yin Spirit Power within his body surged wildly, as if he were playing a game and buying experience points with cash – his experience bar skyrocketing all the way!
This Soul Qi infusion was far more intense than any Yang Haoran had experienced before. Even when he had previously submitted 'hard currency' like Half-step Evil Spirits twice, he hadn't obtained such a massive amount of Pure Yin Qi as he did now.
Deng Feng didn't disturb Yang Haoran, nor did he leave. He simply watched Yang Haoran greedily absorb the Pure Yin Qi before him. The pained expression on his face vanished, replaced by one of deep contemplation, his thoughts unknown.
Who knew how much time had passed? Yang Haoran absorbed the last wisp of Pure Yin Qi. The Yin Qi swirling around him hadn't visibly intensified much, but the Yin Spirit Power within his body had more than doubled.
Before power erupted, the Yin Qi emanating from one's body was merely superficial, serving only as a reference point, not an absolute standard for measuring strength. Whether one was truly strong or not still depended on the power within their body.
Of course, if one fully unleashed the power within their body, the Yin Qi around them would also surge dramatically. In such a case, one could make a rough judgment of strength based on the intensity of the Yin Qi.
At this moment, Yang Haoran's expression was somewhat excited. He felt his entire body brimmed with power; the vast Yin Spirit Power flowing within him brought him immense comfort.
He made a rough estimate: with his current strength, he probably still couldn't contend with a true Evil Spirit. However, against a Half-step Evil Spirit, he was completely confident he could face it alone and win.
“Congratulations,” Deng Feng said with a faint smile, waving his hand to put away the wooden box. “For a newcomer to grow to such an extent in such a short time, I don't know whether to call you lucky or simply exceptionally capable. ”
“Thank you for your cultivation, Emissary of Death! ” Yang Haoran immediately bowed in gratitude.
Deng Feng waved his hand. “I truly do need someone like you by my side. You've satisfied me greatly. If I foster your growth, I'll have far fewer worries in the future. ”
Yang Haoran nodded in affirmation, the joy on his face not only showed no signs of diminishing but intensified even further.
“You needn't worry about the Soul Dispersing Needle; I'll take care of it for you when the time comes. Follow me and work diligently, and I won't let you suffer any losses. However, you must also demonstrate your abilities and your worth to me,” Deng Feng stated.
“Rest assured, Emissary of Death, I will certainly not disappoint you,” Yang Haoran promised with an eager expression.
“Recently, see if there are any suitable candidates. The Night Watchers need new recruits, otherwise, we won't be able to operate,” Deng Feng said to Yang Haoran, frowning slightly.
Judging by Deng Feng's demeanor, it seemed he truly intended to cultivate Yang Haoran as his right-hand man.
Yang Haoran tried hard to suppress the excitement on his face, but the effect was not obvious. He asked, “What are the requirements for new recruits? Are there any age restrictions? ”
“No age limit, no academic requirements. There's only one condition: loyalty. Absolute loyalty to me,” Deng Feng stated the terms.
Yang Haoran nodded, his face still flushed with excitement, indicating his understanding.
“You may leave now. Follow your plan and do whatever needs to be done. However, there's one thing you must remember: anything concerning Du Da, you must report to me immediately. I can trust you, but I must always be aware of how events are unfolding,” Deng Feng instructed Yang Haoran.
“Rest assured, Emissary of Death, I will not disappoint you,” Yang Haoran promised with an eager expression.
“Go now. One month is a very short time. I hope you can seize every minute and every second. ”
After another eager promise, Yang Haoran finally turned and left.
However, the moment he turned, he shed the excitement from his face, his expression turning serious, his brow furrowed, lost in deep thought.
Meanwhile, Deng Feng, watching Yang Haoran's retreating back, also underwent a change in expression, revealing a smile that was chilling upon closer thought.
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