"Welcome, Alliance Leader."
Ignis gave a slight bow, then looked directly at Bo Saixi in You Chen's arms and asked bluntly, "May I ask, Alliance Leader, who is this lady? Is she a new member?"
Ignis's beauty was already one in a million, but after the Meridian Strengthening and Marrow Cleansing from the Immortal Herb, which enhanced her bloodline, she had ascended to another level, becoming a peerless beauty.
However, compared to Bo Saixi, who had reached the pinnacle of human beauty and perfection in every aspect of her body under the enhancement and refinement of a god-level Martial Soul, Ignis still fell short.
Just as You Chen's arrogance had naturally grown in his bones due to his expanding power, allowing him to look down on the mundane world, Ignis's ambition had also naturally grown as her strength and talent increased.
If the highest future she could previously envision was becoming a Titled Douluo, now, achieving that status was a foregone conclusion in her mind.
She had never even considered the realm of gods, so becoming a Titled Douluo was naturally the most transcendent status she could imagine in the Douluo Continent. Under such circumstances, it would be strange if she didn't develop ambition.
Of course, this ambition wasn't a desire for "power." After years of You Chen's brainwashing, these loyal core Soul Arena Beasts wouldn't dare to aspire to a status or power above You Chen.
What Ignis was dissatisfied with wasn't just the nominal equality that came with her position as a Beast Head. She... longed to become You Chen's true companion, even his publicly acknowledged wife!
For someone who still saw herself as a loyal servant, this was an irredeemable, almost blasphemous overreach!
It was like a pet wanting to become its owner's wife! It was madness!
Ignis didn't know if her fellow Soul Arena Beasts would scorn and ridicule her if they found out about this desire, even though she held the position of Beast Head.
But Ignis couldn't help this growing desire and ambition.
As her strength steadily increased, she gradually began to believe that she truly had the possibility, the ability, to achieve this!
"Are kings and nobles born with their status!?"
This was the spirit in Ignis's heart!
And upon seeing Bo Saixi, whose beauty surpassed her own, Ignis naturally developed a competitive mindset.
You Chen looked at Ignis's cold, businesslike expression but saw the fiery passion in her heart through the subtle details. He found it quite amusing and couldn't help but smile. He patted Bo Saixi's head and replied, "A new member? No, she's different from you all."
Ignis's pupils contracted, Bo Saixi's eyes lit up, and the other Soul Arena Beasts who were secretly observing the scene pricked up their ears.
"She's just my slave, my toy," You Chen said lightly, tugging on the collar around Bo Saixi's neck.
As You Chen's words, spoken with a smile but icy cold, fell, Bo Saixi felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her heart.
During this time, the occasional tenderness You Chen showed while toying with her had given Bo Saixi the illusion that they were in a passionate relationship.
Even the humiliating acts could be rationalized in her mind as just a special kind of intimacy...
But You Chen's words, his unabashed attitude in front of his subordinates, tore away the veil of self-deception in Bo Saixi's heart, jolting her awake from the false sweetness.
What sweet romance? What had she been thinking?
Bo Saixi tilted her head slightly, and what reflected in her eyes was You Chen's nearly godlike, stunningly handsome face.
This beauty had been one of the major factors that had recently bewitched Bo Saixi.
Under the lens of a lover, You Chen was, without a doubt, the most handsome man in Bo Saixi's eyes, second only to her faith.
But after the veil in her heart was torn away, You Chen's beauty remained, yet it now evoked a mix of fear and temptation, like a devil.
Ignis, who had been closely watching Bo Saixi's expression, naturally smiled upon seeing her pale face.
No matter how beautiful she was, how could a slave's status compare to that of a trusted companion or subordinate of the Alliance Leader?
A sense of pride welled up in Ignis's heart, and she naturally looked at Bo Saixi with pity.
As for being a slave or a toy?
None of the Soul Arena Beasts cared about such things.
Even though many of them had once been slaves, as long as it was You Chen's choice, it couldn't be wrong.
Being You Chen's slave was either a blessing or a punishment for some crime that needed to be atoned for.
"In that case, I have no further questions."
Ignis didn't overstep by saying something like "slaves shouldn't be allowed to freely enter the Beast Soul Alliance's restricted areas" or other such nonsense.
She always knew her place.
Nominal equality didn't mean she actually had the authority to restrain You Chen.
She knew that her earlier businesslike tone might have been seen by You Chen as a form of coquetry and amusement, but excessive interference would undoubtedly lead to annoyance.
The Beast Soul Alliance, developed from a group of Soul Arena Beasts who were completely loyal only to You Chen, naturally differed greatly from normal organizations.
Unnecessary reports and formalities were nonexistent.
After all, when there wasn't even a single Beast Head, all the Soul Arena Beasts only needed to follow You Chen's orders, without needing to have their own opinions.
Rather than seeking credit, showing off, or asking questions, they always preferred to passively receive orders.
Unless You Chen initiated a conversation, everyone habitually maintained their previous state, not bothering him with unnecessary matters. All the Soul Arena Beasts were deeply ingrained with the concept that "the Soul Arena Beasts and the Beast Soul Alliance exist solely to serve You Chen" and that "the most important thing is efficiency in action, as the more efficient the action, the more it proves loyalty."
This was evident in Grace's handling of conflicts with the Seven Treasures Commerce.
Moreover, with You Chen's control, what trouble could a slave possibly cause?
Seeing Ignis's reassured expression, You Chen couldn't help but feel the urge to tease her again.
He smiled and said, "Although Xi Xi is just my slave, Ignis, even if she suppresses her soul power to the same level as yours, you still wouldn't be her match."
Ignis glanced at Bo Saixi's empty shoulders, her thoughts clear. She had begun to develop the backbone of a true powerhouse and wouldn't easily admit defeat to a disabled person.
But in front of You Chen, she still said, "Since she's a slave subdued by the Alliance Leader, it's only natural that she surpasses me."
"Tsk tsk, you're still the same, always saying one thing while meaning another."
You Chen laughed, amused by Ignis's tsundere demeanor.
Perhaps it was because of the advice he had given Ignis initially that she had indeed learned to "express her opinions."
However, she often verbally agreed while protesting through her actions.
Thinking of how Ignis would always, after protesting through actions, coldly enter his tent and solemnly apologize, asking for punishment, You Chen felt a surge of heat in his heart.
In front of his subordinates, You Chen preferred to maintain some dignity as a leader, so it was usually Ignis who actively sought punishment.
But in front of a slave, he had no such reservations. Whenever he felt like it, he could act immediately. Moreover, with his recent cultivation focusing on the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength, his blood energy had surged, leading to increased desires. The frequency had naturally changed, and during this period, he had truly developed a taste for it.
However... he had come here today for a proper reason.
Looking at Ignis, who was brimming with fighting spirit, You Chen smiled and shook his head, "Next time. When you break through to Soul Saint, I'll let you two have a proper match. Once your Martial Soul evolves to a super quality, the outcome might truly be uncertain."
From these words, Ignis gleaned some startling information.
Her eyes subtly glanced at Bo Saixi, who was lost in melancholy, and her heart stirred: 'So, this armless woman has a super Martial Soul? According to the Alliance Leader, she must at least be a Soul Saint. Such a person couldn't possibly be ordinary. Where did the Alliance Leader capture her from?'
She examined Bo Saixi's physical features, growing more curious.
"I will strive to cultivate diligently and reach the 70th level as soon as possible, living up to the Alliance Leader's expectations!"
But despite her doubts, Ignis first stood at attention, expressing her determination.
"Good. But be prepared, you probably won't be staying here much longer."
You Chen said indifferently.
The implication was that their cultivation speed would naturally slow down.
Ignis, however, showed no hesitation or regret, her eyes shining as she said, "Is it finally time for us to take action?"
You Chen chuckled meaningfully, "Indeed, it's about time for us to gradually step onto the stage of history. Dugu Bo's strength is passable, but he can't be everywhere at once. At that time, you'll need to step up as well."
"Yes!"
Ignis's expression turned solemn.
You Chen's eyes flickered slightly, considering whether to start experimenting with gathering faith within the Beast Soul Alliance, but he ultimately suppressed the idea for now.
Everything would fall into place naturally once he displayed his might.
After encouraging Ignis and the other Soul Arena Beasts, You Chen finally walked to the edge of the lake at the core of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Here, all the Immortal Herbs had been harvested, leaving only the roots, waiting for the long passage of time to regrow.
Apart from the original Immortal Herbs, a Blue Silver Grass with golden veins swayed in the breeze by the lakeside.
After storing it in a storage soul tool capable of holding living things, You Chen left the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and headed south, straight for—Spirit City.
Taking the Blue Silver Emperor had an obvious purpose, but You Chen planned to handle a few other matters along the way.
The reason he didn't head straight to the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect to avenge Dugu Bo and show them that the Beast Soul Commerce had someone backing it was that he didn't intend to massacre the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect like the Spirit Empire had in the original story. This would inevitably lead to information leaking out, and it would be strange if other forces didn't notice that the Beast Soul Commerce was backed by a powerhouse like him.
Moreover, with the Beast Soul Alliance's future actions potentially exposing their existence, and even the fact that the Beast Soul Commerce was the precursor to the Sky Net, You Chen realized that as conflicts intensified and the Beast Soul Alliance surfaced, many things wouldn't be as easy to handle as they were now. Naturally, he needed to complete certain tasks beforehand.
And in Spirit City, he had several matters to attend to.
As he approached Spirit City, You Chen gradually slowed his speed, maximizing the effect of the Aura Concealment Art to conceal his presence.
Finally, he landed in a clearing several kilometers outside the city.
He released Bo Saixi and smiled, "Xi Xi, wait here. I'll come back for you after I finish my business."
Without waiting for Bo Saixi's response, he flew off toward Spirit City.
Thus, Bo Saixi was left alone in the clearing.
It seemed he was truly confident that Bo Saixi, whom he had just mercilessly called a toy, wouldn't run away.
Bo Saixi glanced at the forest behind her, her expression fluctuating.
Spirit City bordered the Star Dou Great Forest, and when it came to hiding, there was no better place than the Star Dou Great Forest.
Bo Saixi knew that escaping into the Star Dou Great Forest to hide was undoubtedly her best chance to break free from You Chen's control.
But...
'It's a trap, it must be a trap!'
Bo Saixi told herself with absolute certainty!
Her expression continued to shift, and thirty seconds after You Chen left, she finally used her spiritual power to examine herself.
She found no spiritual imprint left by You Chen on her body.
Bo Saixi was confident in this judgment.
Even if You Chen's spiritual power was a level above hers, it was impossible for him to leave an imprint in her spiritual sea or on her body without her noticing!
Just as You Chen had judged that Poseidon, after layers of isolation and weakening, couldn't hide from his Divine Sense.
'Right, he has cloning and concealment abilities. He might have split off a clone, concealed his aura, and is hiding nearby, watching me make a fool of myself!'
After confirming that there was no spiritual imprint on her, Bo Saixi immediately developed this suspicion.
After hesitating for another half minute, Bo Saixi finally gritted her teeth and released her spiritual power to scan her surroundings.
The probability of spiritual fluctuations being detected by others increased from low to high in the following order: using spiritual power only within the spiritual sea, not releasing it beyond the body's physical limits, releasing it a few meters to probe... Beyond that, the larger the probing range, the harder it was to conceal the fluctuations, and the easier it was to be detected.
Previously, Bo Saixi hadn't even dared to release her spiritual power beyond her body, fearing that You Chen would detect it and punish her.
But now, after much hesitation, she finally took this step.
And then...
She found no clone of You Chen.
With Bo Saixi's spiritual power at the late stage of the Spirit Domain realm, she was confident she could detect You Chen's clone.
But this was under the premise that You Chen's cloning and concealment techniques hadn't improved at all.
She didn't know whether You Chen truly hadn't left a clone to watch her or if his ability to conceal his aura had improved to the point where she couldn't detect it.
Thus, Bo Saixi remained standing in place, trapped in an endless cycle of mental turmoil.
At one point, a terrifying thought surfaced.
'Actually, staying by his side as a slave and toy isn't so bad, is it?'
Bo Saixi shuddered, her face filled with horror: 'How could I think such a thing? I must have been hypnotized! That must be it! So he must have left a backup plan to observe me! Not acting rashly is the right choice! In my current state, falling into his hands, there's no way I could escape!'
Bo Saixi's self-doubt and mental turmoil were precisely what You Chen had intended.
Having just been jolted awake from a sweet dream, this was the moment when Bo Saixi's will to resist was at its strongest.
But if even in this state Bo Saixi didn't attempt to escape...
If she didn't seize this, the most likely opportunity to escape so far...
The resulting sense of loss and defeat would be even greater.
Bo Saixi would begin to believe, deep down, that she had no ability to escape.
Her spirit would be crushed by herself, and she would sink into complete depravity.
Unlike before, when she had held onto unrealistic fantasies, this time, if she gave up the fight, it would be equivalent to admitting defeat herself.
In the clear recognition of her status as a slave and toy, she would gradually discard her past identity, and the collapse of her faith would be a natural consequence.
This was the deeper meaning behind You Chen's elaborate scheme.
He had deliberately given Bo Saixi a taste of false comfort and sweetness, then awakened her by belittling her in front of others, and finally left her in a seemingly optional environment, forcing her to choose between sinking or resisting.
As for resisting the mental turmoil, truly igniting the flame of resistance, and taking action?
—Just as Bo Saixi had thought, You Chen had indeed left a backup plan.
With Bo Saixi's spiritual power at the late stage of the Spirit Domain realm, You Chen's clone couldn't evade her full-powered probing.
But Bo Saixi didn't know the power of technology.
The clothes she wore were actually a soul tool with a tracking function.
It contained no soul power or soul tool technology—it was purely modern technology.
Of course, this wasn't an unsolvable dead end.
The simplest way to break the situation would be to actively expose her spiritual fluctuations and call for help from her loyal follower, Qian Daoliu.
But this most feasible solution was also the one Bo Saixi was least likely to choose.
Why? Because it was humiliating. Not only would it shame her, but as fellow divine attendants, it would also shame the Sea God!
Whether it was to avoid being seen in such a state by someone familiar, to protect the Sea God's dignity, or because of the subtle antagonism between Spirit Hall and Seagod Island, she couldn't possibly seek help from Qian Daoliu.
So, were there other methods?
Of course, there were!
If Bo Saixi truly had the resolve to risk being seen by other soul masters and ran away naked, You Chen might indeed lose track of her.
However... Bo Saixi couldn't fathom the level of You Chen's spiritual power.
With You Chen's spiritual power, he could envelop the entire Star Dou Great Forest.
If Bo Saixi couldn't constantly conceal her aura, being recaptured by You Chen would only be a matter of time.
Of course, nothing was absolute. Theoretically, there was a possibility that Bo Saixi could find another lifeline before You Chen caught her.
For example, Bo Saixi might suddenly have an inspiration to run to the Life Lake and successfully seek refuge with the Silve
r Dragon King, or a god might inexplicably appear and teleport her back to Seagod Island...
Well, the latter was more likely. But in reality, the probability was minuscule.
The god You Chen had in mind was naturally the Sea God Poseidon.
But due to the difference in time flow, it was almost impossible for him to seize the exact moment You Chen left.
If such a situation truly occurred, it could only be attributed to fate.
All along, You Chen had been battling against the predetermined fate, and more than once, he had felt the malice from destiny.
Despite having changed his mind under You Chen's persuasion, Qian Xunji still chose to hunt a hundred-thousand-year soul beast for Bibidong; Qian Renxue's sudden "At that moment, she had a new idea"...
Even in places unknown to You Chen, fate had once favored Bo Saixi, giving her the opportunity to alter her original future, but Bo Saixi failed to seize it.
Fate is not immutable.
For instance, the destinies of Tang San and Xiao Wu, through long-term manipulation by You Chen, were gradually influenced from the periphery to the core, almost completely severing the possibility of an undying love between them.
Or, it could be forcibly altered through absolute power.
If You Chen now possessed the power of a God King, he could directly crush Tang San, and there would be no situation where other deities secretly intervened to save Tang San's life.
But it always manages to add a bit of trouble for You Chen through various coincidences.
Conversely, it cannot force the occurrence of something that was originally impossible.
Moreover, You Chen vaguely felt that the existence of the system seemed inherently opposed to fate.
You Chen had a faint intuition that the extra rewards he obtained from those with high fate power might actually be derived by siphoning their fate power.
In other words, while You Chen was completing tasks, he was also weakening the other party's fortune.
If this thought is accurate, then Bo Saixi, who had been so exploited and whose fate power was not in the first tier, could not possibly still receive the favor of fate under such circumstances!
On the other hand, if such a near-zero probability could be achieved, it would successfully prove that fate indeed exists! And the system task's ability to weaken fortune is just You Chen's illusion...
In a sense, You Chen was somewhat looking forward to the latter scenario.
Because the former is still just at the level of conjecture, but the latter situation, that probability can no longer be described as a coincidence...
You Chen could confirm that what he had to fight against was never just the clear enemies, but also the elusive fate.
If it were the former, he would just need to keep this thought and continue along the original path.
However, these are ultimately side topics.
While engaging in a "placement play" with Bo Saixi, You Chen had already dispatched several clones into Martial Soul City.
Qian Daoliu was not like Bo Saixi; with the deity he worshipped already fallen, the blessings of the Angel Temple were naturally far less than those of the Sea God Temple, and his control and blessings around Martial Soul City were much weaker than Bo Saixi's.
Moreover, the population of Martial Soul City far exceeded that of Seagod Island, making surveillance more difficult and laborious.
But even so, during previous infiltrations into Martial Soul City for assassinations, You Chen had not widely dispersed his spiritual power for detection.
Soul power fluctuations are the best calling card for a Soul Master, and spiritual power is not much different.
Spiritual power at the Abyssal Realm is already an extremely rare existence, and a stranger with Abyssal Realm spiritual power would surely attract attention in Qian Daoliu's monitoring.
Not to mention the fluctuations of Divine Sense now.
Once You Chen widely dispersed his spiritual power fluctuations, Qian Daoliu would most likely be startled, wondering if some great enemy had arrived.
(End of Chapter)