Douluo Jueshi: Who made him a soul mentor!

Chapter 177 Long Xiaoyao: Where are my men?!

Shen Kang inwardly groaned, knowing that getting the Holy Spirit Cult's followers to join the Sun Moon Empire was no easy task.

If Ye Xishui finds out, my life could be in danger.

Moreover, there is a risk when the other party says not to inform on you during the persuasion process.

However, if this matter is accomplished, his position in the Sun Moon Empire will be secure.

Shen Kang cupped his hands and said, "Your subject is willing to try and persuade the followers of the Holy Spirit Cult to abandon darkness and embrace the light, but..."

Xu Jing's gaze sharpened: "But what?"

Shen Kang carefully considered his words and said, "I just need to inquire what kind of treatment Your Majesty can offer my former colleagues, so that I can persuade them."

Xu Jing laughed heartily upon hearing this, and with a wave of his sleeve, said, "I can promise that all those who sincerely come to serve will be treated as level nine soul masters."

Whatever the Holy Spirit Cult can provide for daily cultivation, my Sun Moon Empire can provide as well; and whatever the Holy Spirit Cult cannot provide, my Sun Moon Empire can still provide!
Shen Aiqing, if you can recruit a few Title Douluo and Super Douluo powerhouses for me, I will reward you handsomely, with rare and precious materials, level nine soul tools, and all sorts of other treasures.

If there is anything else you need to ask, please speak up. I have always been generous and never stingy when it comes to talented people.

Hearing Xu Jing's promise, Shen Kang felt more confident. As long as the compensation was right, everything would be fine.

"Your Majesty, I understand." Shen Kang bowed deeply. "I will return within two days to give Your Majesty a reply."

Seeing that Shen Kang had nothing more to say, Xu Jing waved his hand, indicating that Shen Kang could leave.

Immediately afterwards, Shen Kang, accompanied by a level nine Soul Master, left the palace and flew back towards the Holy Spirit Cult headquarters.

After Shen Kang left, the two eunuchs who were serving and protecting Xu Jing said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained another strong person to serve you."

Xu Jing's eyes were deep. "Loyalty? It's nothing more than a relationship of interests. The people of the Holy Spirit Cult, even if they are not evil soul masters, are not easy to deal with. They can be used, but they can never be trusted."

If danger were to arise, they'd be the first to run. However, when the war with the Douluo Three Kingdoms comes, their presence will help reduce the losses of my Sun Moon Empire.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

...............

The Holy Spirit Cult headquarters, the private palace of Dark Spirit Douluo Shen Kang.

Shen Kang returned here again, but this time he came back to win over a few people who usually disliked evil spirit masters and whose martial spirits were normal.

For example, Dragon Douluo Li Fei, Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng, Black Crow Douluo Wu Yun... these people joined the Holy Spirit Cult for various reasons.

Some joined the Holy Spirit Cult because of their loyalty to Long Xiaoyao.

Some joined the Holy Spirit Cult because they were mistaken for evil spirit masters and were threatened with death.

Others joined the Holy Spirit Cult simply to seek protection because they had offended too many people.

In Shen Kang's view, all three of these types were worthy of being won over. After all, unless there were special circumstances, who would want to associate with an anti-human, insane, and evil evil spirit master?

Just as Shen Kang was sitting on the sofa in the main hall, pondering who to persuade first, he was thinking about who to approach.

There was a knock on the main hall door, and Zhongli Wu walked in.

Zhongli Wu looked at Shen Kang, who was sitting on the sofa like a king, and immediately walked up to him and asked, "Shen Gongfeng, what have you been doing all day? Why haven't I seen you?"

Zhongli Wu did not suspect that Shen Kang had betrayed the Holy Spirit Sect. After all, everyone in the Holy Spirit Sect knew that Shen Kang and Long Xiaoyao had a close relationship and were practically teacher and student.

Shen Kang said coldly, "As a worshipper, I am only under the command of the Supreme Leader and the Hall Master of the Worship Hall in the Holy Spirit Sect. It seems that I do not need to report anything to you, the Leader."

"If there's anything you want to know, Master, you can simply have the Supreme Master or a Hall Master come to me."

Seeing that Shen Kang showed him no respect whatsoever as the sect leader, Zhongli Wu's face darkened.

But he couldn't possibly ask his mother and Uncle Long to come over for such a small matter.

Zhongli Wu snorted coldly and said, "The Holy Spirit Cult is about to relocate to the Douluo Three Kingdoms. Everyone is busy. As an honorific, you can't be idle either."

After saying that, Zhongliwu assigned Shen Kang a task.

Zhongli Wu, fearing that Shen Kang would ignore his words, continued, "My mother has put me in charge of the relocation. If you don't do it, even if you are a worshipper and have some connection with Uncle Long, you will still be punished."

After saying this, Zhongli Wu flicked his sleeves and drifted away.

Shen Kang narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zhongli Wu, who was acting like a bully, and thought to himself, "Without Ye Xishui backing you up, you're nothing."

Shen Kang naturally didn't take Zhong Liwu's words to heart. He had already betrayed the Holy Spirit Sect and joined the Sun Moon Empire. How could he possibly do what Zhong Liwu had ordered him to do?

However, in order to avoid causing unnecessary trouble, he still pretended to be polite.

Time flew by and it was already late at night.

Shen Kang invited Wu Yun, the Black Crow Douluo, who was his best friend, out for drinks.

Of course, while ostensibly they were drinking together, Shen Kang's real purpose was to get information out of Wu Yun to see if she intended to leave the Holy Spirit Sect and join another sect.

Even if Wu Yun didn't intend to leave the Holy Spirit Cult, or if something was noticed amiss, Shen Kang believed that Wu Yun wouldn't report to Ye Xishui.

Shen Kang prepared a table full of fine wine and food, quietly waiting for the dark clouds to arrive.

A moment later, a man in black, whose face was completely obscured by a cloak, arrived at Shen Kang's main hall.

Looking at the sumptuous feast, Black Crow Douluo Wuyun took off his cloak, revealing an ordinary-looking man in his forties.

Like Shen Kang, Wu Yun is a member of the Holy Spirit Cult's Hall of Worship, possessing immense strength and ranking among the twelve worshippers of the Holy Spirit Cult.

Wu Yun is not an evil soul master. It's just that his martial soul, the Dark Raven, is of the dark attribute, so he has always been misunderstood and even hunted down as an evil soul master.

In a fit of rage, Wu Yun killed all those who were chasing him, an act that offended several powerful forces. These forces immediately dispatched titled Douluo-level experts to besiege and suppress Wu Yun.

To save his life, Wuyun had no choice but to seek refuge with the Holy Spirit Cult.

Because they share the same element, Wu Yun and Shen Kang have a close relationship and often cultivate and discuss things together.

After sitting down, Wu Yun smiled and said, "Old Shen, what brings you to such a fine meal and wine today?"

Shen Kang picked up the bottle, poured himself and Wu Yun a glass, and said, "I've been feeling down lately, so I wanted to have a drink with you to relax." Wu Yun and Shen Kang were on good terms, and Wu Yun was quite aware of Shen Kang's recent situation.

Knowing that the Supreme Sect Leader Ye Xishui had been making things difficult for him lately for some reason, he looked at Shen Kang with sympathy and decided to drink and eat with him to relieve his depression.

Wu Yun raised his glass, clinked it with Shen Kang's, then downed it in one gulp, smacked his lips, and said, "Old Shen, this wine is really good."

Shen Kang smiled and said, "I bought this wine from a multinational businessman."

It's said to be brewed with rare medicinal herbs like snow lotus, imbued with spiritual energy from glaciers, and then stored in a cellar for ten years. If you like it, I'll buy dozens more bottles next time.”

Wu Yun said, "That's great, haha, come on, let's drink some more."

Shen Kang was naturally happy to see this happen, and he wanted to drink more so he could get more information out of her later.

After a few rounds of drinks and several dishes, both men were quite tipsy. When the man drank, he became more animated and couldn't help but start chatting about everything under the sun, including world affairs.

Wu Yun let out a burp. "The day after tomorrow, the Holy Spirit Cult will withdraw from the Sun Moon Empire and head to the Douluo Three Kingdoms."

At that time, the Holy Spirit Cult will inevitably go to war with the royal family of the Douluo Three Kingdoms, Shrek Academy, and those sects.

We, the worshippers, had no choice but to intervene. War is dangerous and perilous; one wrong move and our lives would be in danger.”

Shen Kang quickly added, "Brother Wuyun, this isn't over yet."

Currently, the Sun Moon Empire is a powerful force on the mainland. It's estimated that a war of unification will be launched soon.

Even if the Holy Spirit Cult conquers the Three Kingdoms of Douluo, it will still have to fight a battle with the Sun Moon Empire.

The Sun Moon Empire's strength is far beyond that of the Douluo Three Kingdoms; once war breaks out, anyone could die.

Wu Yun poured himself another glass of wine, drank it all in one gulp, and sighed, "The strength of the Sun and Moon Empire has indeed become increasingly astonishing in recent years."

Even with two Limit Douluo powerhouses, Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao, leading the Holy Spirit Cult, they had no choice but to leave the Sun Moon Empire and develop in the Douluo Three Kingdoms.

This world may truly belong to the Sun and Moon Empire. If the Holy Spirit Cult really clashes with the Sun and Moon Empire in the future, I don't intend to risk my life.

Shen Kang chimed in, "That's what I think too. The coordinated attack of the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Master Corps is no joke. Only Limit Douluo can withstand it; any Super Douluo who gets hit by it will die."

Seeing that the time was almost up, Shen Kang murmured, "There won't be many more peaceful days. I really want to find a place to live in seclusion."

Wu Yun gave a wry smile: "What are you thinking? You know the rules of the Holy Spirit Cult. Once you join, it's almost impossible to get out."

Shen Kang's eyes flashed, and he tentatively asked, "Old Wu, if... I mean, if there were a way out, would you be willing to consider it?"

At this point, Wu Yun forgot about drinking and stared at Shen Kang, hurriedly asking, "Escape route? What escape route? Tell me."

Seeing that Wu Yun was interested, Shen Kang immediately used his soul power and mental strength to seal off the surroundings to prevent eavesdroppers from listening.

In this way, if anyone wants to eavesdrop on his conversation with Wu Yun, they must break through his mental and soul power blockade; otherwise, even a Limit Douluo powerhouse would not be able to listen in.

After doing all this, Shen Kang said, "Xu Jing, the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, once extended an olive branch to me. He promised that as long as we were willing to join him, we would be treated well."

Wu Yun's pupils contracted. In his excitement, he lost control of his strength, and the crystal-clear wine glass shattered into pieces.

After a moment of silence, Wu Yun lowered his voice and said, "Old Shen, are you crazy? You know better than anyone the consequences of betraying the Holy Spirit Sect!"

Shen Kang calmly said, "Of course I understand. But as you've seen, continuing to follow the Holy Spirit Cult will only lead to deeper and deeper involvement and greater danger."

The Sun Moon Empire is currently powerful, and its unification of the continent is almost a certainty. Why should we be buried with the Holy Spirit Cult?
If we pledge allegiance to the Sun Moon Empire, with its protection, what can the Holy Spirit Cult do to us?
If the Holy Spirit Cult could truly defeat the Sun Moon Empire, why would they leave the Sun Moon Empire to develop in the Douluo Three Kingdoms?

Wu Yun's expression shifted, clearly showing his inner struggle. After a long while, he slowly said, "Xu Jing... can he really be trusted?"

Seeing that Wu Yun did not directly refuse, Shen Kang was overjoyed and quickly said, "Xu Jing personally promised that all those who sincerely come to join us will be treated as level nine soul masters."

He said that what the Holy Spirit Cult can give, the Sun Moon Empire can give as well, and even more. And—”

Shen Kang paused for a moment, then said, “We are not true evil soul masters, and we do not need to devour souls and flesh to improve our cultivation. For Xu Jing, accepting us is only beneficial to him, and not harmful.”

Wu Yun took a deep breath and whispered, "This matter is too risky. If it gets leaked, we will all die."

Shen Kang nodded: "Therefore, we must proceed with caution. I have already gained Xu Jing's initial trust. If you are willing, we can leave the Holy Spirit Cult together and join the Sun Moon Empire."

After a long silence, Wu Yun finally gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I'll go with you! However, the two of us alone are not enough. If possible, let's recruit a few more trustworthy people to join the Sun Moon Empire and increase our influence."

Shen Kang smiled and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking. What do you think of Flood Dragon Douluo Li Fei and Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng?"

Wu Yun pondered, "Li Fei is a follower of Long Xiaoyao, and he may not be willing to leave."

But Zhang Peng… he joined the Holy Spirit Cult out of necessity, and he had no loyalty to the Holy Spirit Cult whatsoever. As long as it benefited him, he wouldn't mind joining the Sun Moon Empire.”

Shen Kang nodded: "Then let's start with Zhang Peng. I'll find an opportunity to talk to him tomorrow."

After the two plotted for a while, Wuyun put on his cloak and quietly left.

A day later, Shen Kang and Wu Yun successfully recruited Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng, as well as two Title Douluo with a cultivation level of 93 who betrayed the Holy Spirit Cult.

As for Li Fei, no attempt was made to win him over because the risk was too great.

Then, before the Holy Spirit Cult officially relocated, Shen Kang and his four companions left the Holy Spirit Cult under the cover of night and flew towards Mingdu.

.........

The next day, the Holy Spirit Cult gathered its resources and prepared to withdraw from the Sun and Moon Empire.

Long Xiaoyao suddenly realized that five of the offerings in his ancestral hall had disappeared.

Long Xiaoyao's face showed shock. What happened? How come half of his men were gone all of a sudden? Zhang Peng, Shen Kang, Wu Yun… where did they all go?
Seeing this, Ye Xishui's expression hardened, her beautiful eyes flashing with murderous intent. She thought to herself, "Disappearing at this time, he is most likely a traitor to the sect!"

These offerings added midway are not as loyal as those of elders who have been trained from childhood!

They enjoyed the protection and resources of my Holy Spirit Church, yet they betrayed us! They deserve to die, they all deserve to die!

But Ye Xishui knew that now was not the time to dwell on such things. She took a deep breath and said loudly, "Let's go!"

(End of this chapter)