Chapter 156: A Cat with Ruffled Fur A Casual Arrangement
What had she just heard?
A martial soul fusion technique could actually alter a person's way of thinking?
Zhu Zhuqing felt numb all over, as if even her soul power was slipping from her control.
She rapidly searched her memory, comparing what she knew about other members of the Zhu family who possessed martial soul fusion techniques, desperately trying to find an example that could prove Han Li wrong.
But the more she compared, the colder her heart grew. It was as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her body trembling involuntarily.
"Impossible… absolutely impossible…"
Her voice was hoarse as she spoke, shaking her head slightly as if trying to reject the thoughts forming in her mind to reject Han Li's words.
Yes, he had said it himself he was here to sow discord. That had to be it.
She tried to comfort herself, even mocking her own reaction. He's from Spirit Hall. Why would he share such a critical piece of information so easily?
I'm a Zhu. A Zhu from the Star Luo Empire.
"Judging from Miss Zhuqing's reaction, it seems our research in Spirit Hall wasn't wrong after all."
Han Li's teasing voice echoed once more, even more amused than before.
"You "
Zhu Zhuqing was about to refute him, but Han Li raised a hand to stop her.
"Miss Zhuqing, lying to others is one thing, but don't lie to yourself. Or do you really think I came to you because I was unsure and needed you to confirm the truth?"
His words shattered the last line of defense in her heart.
He's right. How could this be a coincidence?
He had deliberately called out to her, and he had shared something that could be considered top secret. There was no way he was just trying to verify something.
He was the Holy Son of Spirit Hall, the chosen heir of the largest soul master organization. Martial soul fusion techniques might be rare, but he wouldn't be foolish enough to ask someone from a rival faction to confirm his findings.
So, he was doing it on purpose. Just as he had said he was here to sow discord.
And she? She was just one piece of a much larger game.
"Why are you telling me this?"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice had once again become devoid of emotion. The light in her eyes disappeared as she sank back into darkness, unable to see any way forward.
"I just happened to run into you."
Han Li answered truthfully. His spiritual power was strong, and he had noticed something Zhu Zhuqing seemed especially sensitive to emotions.
He didn't know if it was due to her martial soul or if it was just a unique trait of hers.
She could tell he wasn't lying.
"Aren't you afraid I'll report this to my family?"
Zhu Zhuqing lifted her head, her dead eyes meeting Han Li's gaze.
"You're free to do so. If that's what you decide, I won't stop you."
Han Li met her gaze with a smile. "Besides, you wouldn't be the first Zhu to know about this."
"To be honest, we told your father about this three years ago. And yet, you only found out today."
His grin was bright, but his words were relentless.
"You could tell your sister, your aunt see who believes you. Or rather, see if they dare to believe you. And even if they do what can they do about it?"
"Trust me, if you send this information back, it won't be long before you're imprisoned. Or perhaps the Zhu family's second daughter will one day simply disappear without a trace."
"When that happens, who do you think will be behind it? The Dai family? The Zhu family? Or perhaps… your father?"
Zhu Zhuqing's heart sank deeper and deeper.
She knew Han Li was telling the truth. No one understood the way her family operated better than she did.
"So even if I find Dai Mubai, even if he's willing to fight alongside me, even if we succeed in the end… I'll just be a vessel named Zhu Zhuqing?"
Her voice grew colder, quieter until it was barely audible.
Is this really what I've been struggling for?
Have I trained so hard just to buy myself a little more time before the inevitable?
"Yep. If nothing unexpected happens, that's your future."
Han Li casually picked up a piece of watermelon and took a bite.
"Heh. 'If nothing unexpected happens.' What you really mean is you are that unexpected variable."
Zhu Zhuqing finally understood why Han Li had approached her.
"Isn't that obvious? I'm doing you a favor by warning you. Otherwise, you wouldn't even realize you were being changed until you were completely lost."
Han Li spoke as if his actions were righteous and justified.
"I would rather have never known. Maybe I shouldn't have come back."
Zhu Zhuqing scoffed, her voice laced with hostility.
"You told me all of this just to make sure I can't fuse my martial soul with Dai Mubai maybe even to turn me against him. Clearly, you succeeded. Should I thank you?"
"No need for thanks. Helping others is its own reward. I didn't expect anything in return."
Han Li studied her with interest.
The cat had finally gotten riled up.
This was far more amusing than when she had that blank, frozen expression.
"Is there anything else? Just say it all at once I don't want to hear you dragging things out any longer. You've already achieved your goal."
Zhu Zhuqing glared at him, suddenly feeling the urge to activate her martial soul and rake her claws across his face.
She had nothing left to lose.
"Good, straightforward I like that."
"But I really wasn't expecting to run into you. Talking to you was just a whim a way to vent my frustration about a certain someone."
Han Li's ability to react in the moment wasn't particularly outstanding this was precisely why he preferred to plan ahead and consider every possibility in advance.
As he sank into thought, Zhu Zhuqing took the opportunity to observe this so called Holy Son of Spirit Hall who had suddenly appeared before her.
So far, aside from his sharp tongue and tendency to poke at sore spots, Han Li hadn't actually shown any malice toward her she could feel that much.
As for what he had said about simply being annoyed at someone, if she had to guess, he was probably referring to Dai Mubai.
She bit her lip unconsciously. You have no right to criticize Dai Mubai when you have three girls following you around. You're just as bad as he is.
Not that she cared much. After all, she had been raised to be a future imperial consort since childhood.
"Alright, let's begin."
Han Li suddenly looked up, locking eyes with Zhu Zhuqing.
"Begin what?"
She couldn't quite keep up with his thought process.
"Analyzing your options, of course."
Han Li tapped his fingers against the table, smiling at her.
"Options? Do I even have any left?"
Zhu Zhuqing sneered.
"Of course. And not just one. Want to hear them?"
That smile of his once again struck her as infuriating.
"Sure. Why not."
She scoffed, resigning herself to whatever he had to say.
"Good. Then listen carefully."
"The first option: abandon your identity as a soul master, find a village, and live in hiding. As long as you survive the next ten years, no one will bother searching for you anymore. By then, even if you're found, chances are nothing will happen. If you're lucky, you might even become one of the consorts."
Han Li's first suggestion was something Zhu Zhuqing had never considered before.
"Give up being a soul master? Go into hiding?"
She repeated his words under her breath. She actually found the idea somewhat tempting, but she quickly realized the flaw in this plan.
"And what if I'm found within those ten years?"
"Then you're just unlucky. But in all likelihood, your sister and Davis wouldn't kill you they'd probably just cripple you. As for Dai Mubai, well… his fate would be worse than yours."
Han Li spread his hands, as if to say too bad for you.
"Heh. I've never been very lucky."
Zhu Zhuqing chuckled bitterly. If she were lucky, she wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
"The second option: join Dai Mubai and resist assuming he even has the will and the ability to fight back."
The moment Han Li finished speaking, Zhu Zhuqing immediately shook her head.
Looks like my words already had an effect, Han Li mused.
"The third option: join a faction that the Star Luo Empire wouldn't be willing to go to war over just to reclaim you. Of course, this is risky. Your talent is decent, but honestly, it's nothing extraordinary."
"If Star Luo values its royal reputation enough to refuse to let you go, then any faction you join would likely hand you over to avoid unnecessary conflict. Even if they don't, you'd spend the rest of your life dodging assassination attempts."
Han Li laid out the reality before her in the most direct and unfiltered way possible.
"I can't think of any faction that would accept me… unless your whole purpose in approaching me was to recruit me into Spirit Hall."
Zhu Zhuqing quickly pieced things together and looked directly at Han Li.
"I already told you meeting you was purely by chance. Of course, if you choose to join Spirit Hall, we'd accept you. But not now. I have more important matters to deal with, and I don't have time to bother with your trivial problems."
Han Li reacted even more strongly than she did, as if the idea of her joining would delay his plans.
A minor sense of goodwill wasn't enough to slow his pursuit of strength.
"So you were just using me for entertainment?"
Zhu Zhuqing's emotions flared up again.
"Oh, not at all. Didn't I successfully sow discord? And besides, I only said 'not for now.' Did you hear that clearly?"
Han Li smiled as he looked at the now irritated Zhu Zhuqing. "Besides me, not even Spirit Hall would be willing to protect you, right? At least I gave you information. I gave you a chance."
Zhu Zhuqing clenched her fists, barely restraining the urge to punch him.
"And how do I know you're not lying to me?"
"Even if I am lying, do you have any other options?"
Han Li countered.
There was a long silence.
"No."
Zhu Zhuqing finally spat out the word stiffly. She never had a choice to begin with.
"Exactly. You have no choice. Believe me none of the so called Upper Three Sects can save you either."
Han Li looked at her seriously.
"Then… why me?"
Zhu Zhuqing stood up. She didn't make any promises or commitments she simply asked one final question.
"Because you're good looking, you have a personality like a cat, which fits my aesthetic, and messing with the Star Luo Empire is always entertaining. Are those reasons good enough?"
Han Li smirked at her.
"More than enough. You really are an insufferable person."
Leaving that remark behind, Zhu Zhuqing walked out of the room without looking back.
This time, she didn't turn around again.
Watching her leave, Han Li chuckled.
He didn't particularly care about the outcome this had all been done on a whim.
Of course, if it did end up benefiting him, even better.
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