Chapter 528: Clear-cut Rewards and Punishments
After the three Soul-Gathering Beads were taken out, the Evil Spirits within them seemed to sense something, and faces successively emerged from the inky black soul mist, gazing at Yang Haoran outside the Soul-Gathering Beads. These three faces belonged precisely to the three Guardian Spirits who had agreed to submit to Yang Haoran. As they looked at Yang Haoran beyond the Soul-Gathering Beads, Tang Shi and the other two wore expressions of delight—a delight tinged with intense anticipation, and a hint of unsuppressed worry. Their joy stemmed from the fact that, after several days, Yang Haoran had finally remembered them. Their anticipation was for Yang Haoran to uphold his promise and provide them with a desirable arrangement. As for their worry, it was, of course, that Yang Haoran might break his word; though this apprehension had significantly lessened compared to their initial fears, it still lingered.
Yang Haoran took in their expressions, and without further ado, released them from the Soul-Gathering Beads. Upon leaving the beads, the three materialized their Spirit Bodies before Yang Haoran. The solidity of all three Spirit Bodies was quite good, with Tang Shi's Spirit Body being the most condensed compared to the other two Guardian Spirits. From this, it was evident that all three possessed decent strength; not top-tier within the Evil Spirit realm, but certainly above average. Tang Shi's abilities, moreover, were the strongest among the three.
"Greetings, Emissary of Death! " After materializing their Spirit Bodies, Tang Shi was the first to kneel on one knee and salute Yang Haoran. The other two quickly followed suit, kneeling to pay their respects.
"Rise. You've been cooped up inside for a few days; it must have been stifling, right? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"Not at all. It's only been a few days; that's nothing to us," Tang Shi immediately replied.
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, saying no more, and with a wave of his hand, produced three sets of skins. As the skins appeared, Tang Shi and the other two all fixed their gazes on the suspended forms before them.
"These three skins were specially tailored for each of you," Yang Haoran said with a smile. "You can put them on and try them now."
Yang Haoran didn't know if the three had ever heard of these skins from the Underworld, but he had no intention of asking them directly. However, their facial expressions revealed some clues. While Tang Shi's eyes shone with eagerness, the other two wore expressions of confusion. From this, it seemed Tang Shi had some knowledge of these skins. The other two, clearly, had no idea what these skins were. Yang Haoran observed all this, understanding their reactions, but said nothing more. Tang Shi, meanwhile, allowed his Spirit Body to transform into a mass of Yin Qi and merge into the skin before him. The other two Guardian Spirits apparently knew nothing about the skins, nor how to wear them, so seeing Tang Shi's Spirit Body merge into the skin as Yin Qi, they also imitated him.
"These skins are truly miraculous! I've never seen anything so wonderful! Haha! " The Guardian Spirit who spoke was precisely that of the young man. Overcome with emotion, he couldn't help but burst into laughter. Because of the restrictive barrier, his laughter wouldn't carry outside, so Yang Haoran didn't stop him. However, the man's behavior was certainly a bit uninhibited. As the man was currently on a high, Yang Haoran had no intention of interrupting him merely because of his over-the-top reaction. While Tang Shi and Lu Laotou's Guardian Spirits were also very excited, they were considerably more restrained than him.
Watching the excited trio, Yang Haoran lit a cigarette and waited, smiling. No sooner had he lit his cigarette than Tang Shi reacted. He forcefully suppressed his inner excitement. Seeing this, the other two also successively brought their agitated emotions under control. Aside from Tang Shi, though the other two tried their best to rein in their excitement, their faces still betrayed an undeniable thrill.
Yang Haoran, with a face full of smiles, looked at the three, took a drag from his cigarette, and then slowly spoke: "How is it? Are you satisfied with these customized skins?"
"Satisfied! Extremely satisfied!"
"These skins are simply miraculous! I feel just as I did before I died!"
"Many thanks, Emissary of Death!"
How could Yang Haoran not see if the three were satisfied or not? The reason he asked was merely to observe how each of them would respond. The first to speak was Lu Laotou's Guardian Spirit, followed by the young man's Guardian Spirit, and finally Tang Shi. Through their answers, Yang Haoran gained a deeper understanding of their personalities.
"Good, as long as you're satisfied. " Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, then turned his gaze to Tang Shi and asked, "You seem to recognize these skins?"
Tang Shi quickly replied: "To answer the Emissary of Death, I had heard of these skins before, but never seen them. I only knew that such skins fetched a considerable price in the Underworld, with custom-made ones being outrageously expensive."
"Heh heh, they are indeed a bit pricey. But since you're willing to follow me, of course I can't be stingy with you," Yang Haoran chuckled.
The three thanked him again. Yang Haoran waved his hand with a smile and continued, "No need for further thanks. If you are truly grateful, then prove it with your actions from now on."
"Yes! " the three responded in unison. Yang Haoran nodded with a satisfied expression, then continued, "I don't wish to inquire about your past, nor pursue it. But after you join me, I expect you to understand what you should do and what you should not. I require your absolute obedience, not feigned compliance. If you feign compliance with me even once, there will absolutely not be a second time, because I will directly make your souls scatter and dissipate from this world. I trust you understand what I mean by that."
Yang Haoran spoke these words very calmly, and with a smile, no less. Yet, the three could sense a clear murderous intent within his seemingly mild tone. Though they didn't fully grasp Yang Haoran's character yet, they could tell he wasn't intentionally trying to scare them. If they truly did something to betray Yang Haoran, he would undoubtedly make their souls scatter and dissipate.
The excitement in their hearts significantly diminished due to Yang Haoran's words. Their minds also cleared considerably. The excited expressions on their faces receded, replaced by solemnity.
"Understood! " the three replied in unison.
"Heh heh, I hope those words come from the heart. However, don't think that by following me, Yang Haoran, you've jumped into a bad situation you can't escape. I can guarantee you that as long as you follow me wholeheartedly, you will receive many unexpected benefits. " As his words fell, Yang Haoran slowly took another drag from his cigarette, then continued: "With me, rules are certainly indispensable, but so are the rewards. Here, reward and punishment are clear-cut: merit earns reward, error earns punishment. The skins you are now wearing are your reward for helping me eliminate the three Spirit Masters previously. From now on, as long as you perform meritorious deeds, I will give you satisfactory rewards."
The three listened obediently, none of them speaking. For the remainder of the time, Yang Haoran explained a few rules to them. He made it very clear what they could do and what they could not. The reason he laid out these rules so precisely was to prevent the trio from causing him trouble. Some things, if left undone, wouldn't cause problems, but others, once done, would certainly bring him trouble. He merely wanted to develop discreetly. Until absolutely necessary, he didn't want to stir up any incidents, much less have his subordinates cause any trouble.
The trio's future tasks would be the same as the previous four-person team. However, Yang Haoran wasn't prepared to let them go out on missions immediately. There were, of course, his own considerations for this. All three were Evil Spirits, and had once been Guardian Spirits to Spirit Masters. Their wildness was pronounced. Although they were respectful and deferential in his presence, what they might become once let loose was uncertain. Therefore, Yang Haoran intended to spend some time "brainwashing" them, instilling certain ideas. Only after their thoughts had undergone a certain degree of change would he allow them to depart.
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