Atop the skyship was two tall wooden posts spread a bit of distance from themselves. Between these two posts, was a young girl attached to barbed rope by her feet and arms that sliced into her skin relentlessly. Her face was filled with bruises, but a majority of her wounds to her bones and flesh seemed to have been healed by miraculous medicine as faint signs of injury remained.
Besides her, three individuals stood a distance away, one of which was a scrawny man with pearly white teeth, a handsomely tall youth with an outstanding physique, and a middle-aged man. The first two were Yan Zaizen and Tao, but the third was Elder Lu - Diyi's former protector. Currently, he was kowtowing to Yan Zaizen.
"Lord Zai, please!" His voice was filled with pleading and desperation.
If anyone from the Grux Empire saw this, they would assume Elder Lu was pleading for mercy in regards to Diyi's current fate, but that was not the case. Instead, he arrived after sneakily following Yan Zaizen to the skyship and maintaining a suitable distance. Initially, Yan Zaizen felt that this man had ill-intentions towards him and Tao but didn't act despite knowing from day one due to his curiosity. However, he was surprised to find out the real reason for his actions.
He wanted to work for Yan Zaizen.
This was a mid-Origin Core Realm expert!! And yet, he wanted to work for Yan Zaizen!
"Lord Zai, I've left the Grux Empire, and a hit has undoubtedly been placed on my head due to my actions. I hope you can accept my request!" His tone was filled with begging, but one could tell that he had other choices he could make. However, what would be better than working for someone at the very peak of power and by choice no less!
In his entire life, Elder Lu was forced to work for someone he didn't choose to do so to fulfill a debt. However, after escaping from that person's clutches, he didn't have anywhere to go without being targeted for his actions. If he could follow Yan Zaizen, then he would be fully protected even if he publicized his location to all of Grux.
"Why would I want someone like you, who's willing to leave the one he was tasked to protect to die. Regardless of decisiveness, it doesn't exactly inspire confidence for your loyalty." Yan Zaizen's voice was calm, and his words struck true. Elder Lu couldn't even respond, only staying in a kowtow position frozen due to awkwardness.
Tao, however, was the one to interject. "Elder Lu is named Bai Lufeng, and his story is…" Tao immediately retold Bai Lufeng's entire life story and what he believed his personality was. Bai Lufeng genuinely was a good person at heart but one caught between loyalty and morality. Despite this, he chose loyalty for two thousand years until an incident happened that called his morality into question.
Bai Lufeng refused to slaughter a village filled with people and send all the children to the Deep Mines on orders of Diyi's Father. Due to his insubordination, he was given the punishment of protecting Diyi, and even still his morality was tested again and again by her commands. The fact he was decisive and leaving the entirety of Grux while remaining untainted by the two's personality displayed his good characteristics.
Yan Zaizen was shocked as he looked at Tao. How did Tao know all of this? Bai Lufeng, however, wasn't shocked. Instead, he looked at Tao with his eyes shining with brilliance.
Normally, Tao was unwilling to talk about his background in-depth, and Yan Zaizen respected his decision. However, now he was truly curious.
Tao could see Yan Zaizen's curiosity and felt odd in his heart. After a long moment of silence, his eyes became decisive as he explained, "My name before was Grux Taohe, and my master was the Imperial Scholar."
What?!
"You mean…" It made sense. Truly, it made sense.
The Imperial Scholar wasn't an empty title. It was given to the one deemed with the most knowledge in the entire kingdom, some could even say country, and Tao was always incredibly intelligent and knowledgeable. He knew about the Dao the moment he saw Yan Zaizen's aura, something that even the others who watched his battle couldn't deduce at first sight. He knew about armaments to an incredible degree, and their conversations had told him a lot about the inner-workings of Grux and its history.
Yan Zaizen held the impulse to ask why he was no longer apart of Grux despite having the Imperial Scholar, a True Essence Cultivator, as his master. Not to mention, asking why he was sent to the Deep Mines for ten years.
Could it be?
Tao sighed at Yan Zaizen's myriad of thoughts, he continued to explain, "Long story short, I voiced opinions that wasn't exactly...popular with the upper-echelon of the Empire. My Master stripped me of my name, status and sent me to the Deep Mines as punishment." Despite it not going into too much depth, it matched with Yan Zaizen's assumption.
"Hm. Your past is your past." Yan Zaizen nodded, not caring about who he was before. Considering he was sent to the Deep Mines to die, why would he have good feelings towards the Empire or his former master? He even helped to plot against the royal family, no wonder he was so willing to take the risk.
Looking at Bai Lufeng, Yan Zaizen contemplated. Having a mid-Origin Core Realm servant would be incredibly impressive and useful. Not to mention, he was loyal and moral and considering that he also posed no threat to Yan Zaizen, he felt no reason not to agree. "Sure. However, you'll need to make a soul oath." Yan Zaizen said, his tone held for no debate.
Bai Lufeng thought for a second and nodded in agreement. A soul oath wasn't something that could be easily accomplished and could only be set up by someone at the Aurora Soul Realm, otherwise, most people kept to heavenly oaths. However, for heavenly tribulations, depending on the weight of the oath, the punishment wasn't as intense and could be survived with personal strength or outside help.
Soul Oaths wasn't like that at all. If you break it, unless someone was heaven-defyingly great, your soul would be sent to the underworld.
After the Soul Oath had been sworn, Yan Zaizen informed Bai Lufeng to fly the skyship towards Sky Heart City. Tao gave Bai Lufeng the qi method to pilot the ship. However, Bai Lufeng suddenly recalled something.
"Wait! Lord Zai, the-"
"Don't call me Lord Zai, makes me feel old." Yan Zaizen interjected quickly. It truly didn't feel comfortable being called Lord Zai, despite possessing his overwhelming strength. He was only nineteen after all.
Bai Lufeng was startled but then realized after understanding who Yan Zaizen was. In truth, when he arrived, he was shocked to death. Yan Zaizen was alive, survived the Deep Mines for two years, and came back with a cultivation that could rival peak powers in the continent. When he saw the quick but intense battle between Yan Zaizen and Lord Xiāo, he was enthralled. If he were to fight either one of them, it's unlikely he could survive a single blow, but it truly left one filled with respect for both of them.
Now, this mysterious person, that filled him with respect, was actually a nineteen-year-old boy with a heaven-defying soul cultivation.
"Young Lord Zai?" Bai Lufeng tested, his voice cautious with every word. Yan Zaizen looked thoughtfully for a second and nodded in acceptance. That truly felt more suitable for him.
"Young Lord Zai, Lady Di's Father was killed yesterday. The Yi family was uprooted, and an apology was issued for your disci- I mean, your punishment being handled improperly. They have even sent a notice of invitation. The Emperor wants to personally apologize for the incident, hoping to seek reconciliation." Bai Lufeng had connections everywhere, and he didn't dare to make a move to join Yan Zaizen until he knew the Imperial Palace's personal position on the matter.
Yan Zaizen expected this, hell, it was what they were going for. As for the Yi Family being killed, they could only blame others for bringing them down.
"Mhm." He softly nodded in response, obviously not being surprised at this piece of news. "What about the Xiāo City Lord?" This was what he truly was concerned over.
"He returned to Xiāo City and went into secluded recovery to tend to his wounds due to your battle from earlier."
Yan Zaizen felt a little relieved. He was a member of the Anima Syndicate and despite members being able to kill other members, it didn't seem right to do so. In truth, he only spared him for Wu Yuanxu. If it wasn't for Wu Yuanxu detailing the Anima Syndicate with such zest and zeal, then he would've ended his life then and there.
"Alright. Go." Yan Zaizen instructed, sending Bai Lufeng off to pilot the skyship. Turning towards Tao, his voice contained a chilly intent, "Did you bring it?" Tao nodded in response, handing Yan Zaizen a spatial ring.
He slowly walked towards Diyi, "We aren't finished."