How Much For Your Soul

The stunned youth fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, his eyes had rolled back into his head, and he didn't even make a noise as Shen Yue stepped over him and dragged him back into the room. There really was a massive difference in strength between the Legend/Demi-god rank and the Heavenly Fate Realm, the ease at which a proud expert had been defeated with aura alone was mindboggling!

In the novel, when Nie Li first stayed in Xiao Yu's courtyard, he was accosted by a young master Yan Hao. This Yan Hao was already a Heavenly Fate Realm expert and caused Nie Li and Lu Piao to instantly feel a suffocating pressure when he used his aura to suppress them. However, Yan Hao had restrained his aura as even he didn't dare act too rashly inside Skysoul Institute. If he killed someone inside the Skysoul Institute, even his family wouldn't be able to protect him.

This happened again later in the Ghastly Ruins, and if not for Murong Yu toying with Nie Li, he could have killed him with little effort. These two instances highlighted the difference between the two realms and were why the Heavenly Fate Realm was considered the first real step on the path of cultivation. Nie Li was an overpowered plot armoured cheater, and he was still suppressed with aura alone, an average joe like the youth unconscious at Shen Yue's feet never stood a chance.

Soon, another minion was ready to fight for the Horde! Although Shen Yue had to help steady the guy's soul realm, he had been a bit too heavy-handed when he unleashed the Emperor's aura on an unguarded victim. After this victory, there was no further need to act out in the open and risk exposure. With the new addition to his growing faction, Shen Yue had the perfect excuse to be allowed behind closed doors before he attacked.

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*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

An annoyed youth opened the door to be greeted by his fellow cultivator from the Little Heaven Realm and one of the trash from the Tiny World.

"What do you want? You interrupted my cultivation! Why are you with that trash?" The annoyed youth bombarded the offender of his peaceful meditation. The rooms were soundproof, but there was a minor array on the door to alert the occupant of guests.

"This guy realised the strength of young master Hua Ling and wanted to serve him. I wanted you to help interview him just in case it's a trap."

"So, you realised the value of the young master and want to be on the winning team?"

"Yes, your young master is indeed valuable to me, and I always plan to win!" Said Shen Yue as his aura lashed out at the youth with more control than the first time, he didn't want to have to spend another hour stabilising another soul realm.

The youth had only begun to realise something was wrong from Shen Yue's words before he slipped into unconsciousness. When he awoke ten minutes later, he was ready to serve the Empire with his heart and soul!

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Three hours later, Shen Yue was on his way to Hua Ling's courtyard with all of his new minions. Aiguo, the suicidal recruit with a Man Spiritual Root, had explained Hua Ling's future designs in detail and everything he knew about the Little Heaven Realm. It seems that there was not so much of a plan, than a general obsession with Xiao Yue because his father is competing against Nether Lord for the position of Chief Enforcer of the Outer Division. There was also probably a bit of jealousy involved as well, but it would be the perfect reason to enter his courtyard.

Just like before at the free housing, under the pretence of betraying the Tiny World for cultivating resources, they were shown in to meet with Hua Ling. This time would be a little tricky as Hua Ling was already reached 3-fate Heavenly Fate Realm and would be able to fight off Shen Yue's aura. Luckily, except for two men, the rest of Hua Ling's men belonged to Shen Yue. As was the courteous thing to do, one of them offered to make tea, and with Hua Ling's approval did just that.

"So, that pretty boy Xiao Yu is not reliable enough to gain your loyalty! I'm glad there are smart people in the Tiny World that can recognise a master worth serving!" Said Hua Ling in a self-aggrandising manner.

"Yes, young master! The man just wastes resources, and has yet to reach the Heavenly Fate Realm, so shameful!" Replied Lu Han, one of the three that came to the Draconic Realm with Shen Yue.

The next twenty minutes were spent drinking tea and stroking Hua Ling's ego by insulting Xiao Yu, the minions were really getting into it as Shen Yue had not revealed that Xiao Yu was, in fact, a girl pretending to be a man.

"And the way he walks! Swaying his arse like a cheap prostitute attracting customers! I feel sick every time he looks at me!" Sun Jin said emphatically, he had never like Xiao Yu and hid behind Shen Yu every time he was in danger of interacting with her.

Shen Yue wanted to laugh himself to death, the insults had started to become so brutal! He was the only one in the room that knew Xiao Yu's real gender and was doing his best to not break into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Thankfully, it was time for business. Hua Ling's eyes were starting to droop, and not even his favourite past time of insulting his hated enemy could keep his eyes open. Seeing their young master pass out, the two only unenslaved followers in the room rushed to his side to check on him.

Unfortunately, the powerful sleeping drug had already done its job and would need either the antidote or the soul force from a Heavenly Axis master. With their backs to Shen Yue, they did not even know what hit them as they slumped to the floor. With the last piece under his control, Shen Yue could finally start making some money. His choice of using Hua Ling as his healing expert was threefold.

The first was the opportunity of weak subordinates to overpower, making the takedown of Hua Ling that much easier. The second was gaining fame for his father to become the new Chief Enforcer of the Outer Division to draw attention away from the Tiny World, the less focus on Shen Yue's homeland, the better. And the third was that as Hua Ling was an outspoken enemy of Tiny World, they would be the last people to be suspected of being allies if the shit ever hit the fan!

With Hua Ling, the insignificant, petty young master that was ignored by everyone as his frontman, Shen Yue could disguise himself as a servant and relay the information from the Heaven's Path Library to him through the slave mark. If ever questioned about his relationship to Hua Ling, he could claim to be a craven money seeker that betrayed his loyalties for resources. It would be a bit demeaning to be viewed as scum, but Shen Yue wanted anonymity, not fame and attention. Pride would only lead to an early death. Besides, no one ever noticed the lowly servants that brought tea.

With a new base of operations that could be shielded from prying eyes, Shen Yue now had a place to set up his clinic to make money. With his ability to hide his cultivation, only a Martial Ancestor Realm expert would be able to see through him. The first thing to do was to make this place unable to be scried upon by the many techniques that influential factions used to surveil areas of interest. It was best to have a site that they could act without their secrets being discovered, at the very least, it would give them warning if a true master had turned his attention to their operation. It would also reassure their clients that their secrets or embarrassing afflictions would not be leaked to the public.

Since Hua Ling had formed his third Fate Soul, he was more prosperous than Xiao Yu and had two hundred and thirty-five spirit stones in his possession instead of a pathetic amount of ten or so. They would need at least ten to power they array and use their own energy to strengthen it if it was under attack. It was not the best method, and would never stand up to a full-on attack, but it would give them plenty of time to hide anything incriminating or keep their secrets before it was breached.

With everything ready, it was time to send Gu Bei a letter.