I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

After successfully forming a contract with the Azure Profound Realm Spirit, Lin Che brought Su Wanwan and the Liu siblings from Chuyang City to the island in the center of Shattered Star Lake.

Before heading to Burning Bone City to handle matters related to the Lesser Rising Dragon Formation, he needed to make arrangements for the three earliest members of his team.

After a brief introduction, Lin Che got straight to the point, his expression solemn:

"The three of you are the earliest followers of Lin Che, so you will naturally receive corresponding preferential treatment. Now, I will give you two paths to choose from."

His gaze swept over the three of them, his voice clear and steady:

"Firstly, you will become a guest retainer of the Lin family, which will be considered an employment relationship. I will pay you a monthly salary of spirit stones and provide you with some cultivation resources. The advantage is that you are relatively free to come and go, and you can leave at any time if you feel uncomfortable."

After a slight pause, Lin Che's gaze sharpened and deepened, taking on a scrutinizing quality:

"Secondly, one can become a true 'official' of the Lin family. This path allows one to cultivate the core techniques of the Lin family, and the cultivation resources obtained are far superior to the former. There is also the opportunity to form a contract with a spirit beast nurtured by the family."

"However," Lin Che changed the subject, his tone becoming solemn and undeniably firm, "the price is also heavy. To become a worshipper, you must voluntarily accept the unique secret technique I plant in your souls."

This method aims to ensure that you will never betray the Lin family and will never reveal any of the Lin family's techniques or secrets.

From this day forward, you will be deeply bound to the Lin family, and you may not break away from them unless you make a great contribution or there are special circumstances.

Of course, if you achieve outstanding merit in the future, I will not hesitate to bestow favors upon you, allowing you to establish vassal families dependent on the Lin family.”

The system of offerings set up by Lin Che is completely different from that of ordinary cultivation families.

Either they are merely hired retainers, unable to access the core resources.

Either fully integrate and accept absolute control, exchanging loyalty for resources and pathways to higher levels.

Upon hearing this, both the Liu siblings' expressions turned serious.

This choice was clearer and heavier than they had anticipated.

The second path, in particular, almost means that one's freedom and destiny for the rest of their life will be entirely tied to the Lin family and to Lin Che alone.

Of course, there are also benefits, such as the ability to cultivate techniques and access stable cultivation resources that are completely inaccessible to rogue cultivators.

Liu Yunzhou almost instinctively wanted to nod and agree to the second option, as it was a promise he had made.

But he immediately realized that this was no small matter, and he couldn't help but turn his gaze to his sister beside him, waiting for her decision.

At this time, Liu Qingxue had recovered from her external injuries and had long since shed the haggard appearance she had when she was seriously injured.

Her pretty face regained its usual coolness, her skin was fair, and her jawline was sharp as if carved by a knife, adding a touch of aloofness that made her seem unapproachable.

Those eyes were clear and bright, with slightly upturned corners, and when they looked at people, they always carried a hint of scrutiny and sharpness that was hard to detect.

His posture is as upright as a pine tree in the snow. He looks thin, but every inch of his body contains the agility and explosive power of a cheetah.

She habitually pursed her lips, and even when standing still, her center of gravity naturally maintained a delicate balance, like a powerful bow ready to be drawn at any moment, exuding an almost instinctive aura of vigilance formed from years of walking on the edge of danger.

This sharp, unapproachable aura made the gentle Su Wanwan feel slightly uncomfortable. She unconsciously took two steps back, creating some distance between herself and Liu Qingxue, before lowering her head to listen quietly to Lin Che's arrangements.

Liu Qingxue heard every word Lin Che said. Seeing her younger brother looking over, she hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Lin Che, her voice clear yet respectful: "Patriarch, this matter is of great importance. May I have a moment to discuss it privately with Yunzhou?"

"Of course." Lin Che's expression remained unchanged as he nodded slightly, not insisting.

He knew that this matter concerned his path and freedom, and required the other party's consent.

Lin Che was unusually cautious about the family's offerings.

The family was newly established and its foundation was not yet stable, so these three were considered special cases.

In the future, the selection of those to be offered sacrifices will be extremely rigorous, requiring talent, character, and loyalty—better to have none than to accept the inferior ones.

On the other side, Su Wanwan's beautiful face was filled with struggle and hesitation, her pearly teeth gently biting her lower lip, showing her extreme inner conflict.

A seemingly insurmountable obstacle loomed in her heart: the blood feud with her family.

Her father and uncles were all persecuted by the Chen family, and she was the only one who survived by sheer luck.

Her father's dying words were that she should live well and not act impulsively to seek revenge.

But that deep-seated hatred, like a nightmare, gnawed at her heart day and night.

She was unsure whether she should settle down or remain free, hoping for a slim chance of revenge in the future.

Lin Che's sharp eyes immediately caught the bewilderment on Su Wanwan's face, and he roughly guessed what she was thinking.

He stepped forward slowly, called her aside, and spoke in a calm yet compelling tone:

"Wanwan, I know what you're worried about. I assure you about the Chen family's matter. Once the Lin family has established itself here, you won't need to pretend anymore. I will definitely seek justice for you in the future."

This area is not large. In the future, when the Lin family grows stronger, it will inevitably clash with the Chen family. Given the Chen family's arrogant nature, conflict is unavoidable.

Lin Che is now confident that his family will grow into the dominant force in this area, and the Chen family will inevitably become an obstacle.

At that time, avenging Su Wanwan will be a natural consequence.

Upon hearing this, Su Wanwan's frail body trembled slightly. She looked up at Lin Che, her eyes instantly filled with unbelievable emotion, which was then overwhelmed by even deeper guilt.

The head of the family had already saved her life, and she had not yet repaid that debt. Now, he was willing to make such a heavy promise for someone as insignificant as her. How could she possibly bear it?

"Master..." Her voice choked with emotion, then she took a deep breath, her eyes becoming incredibly firm: "Wanwan thanks Master for his great kindness! I choose the second path, I am willing to become a retainer of the Lin family, and I will never fail him!"

However, if in the future the Lin family is truly in danger because of me, I implore the family head to abandon Wanwan immediately and protect the family!

Lin Che was taken aback, realizing that the other party was unaware of his true strength.

At the same time, the current resources and foundation of the Lin family are also unclear.

Unlike other families who were unaware of the Lin family's background, Su Wanwan and her two companions already had a general understanding of it.

The Lin family now truly consists of only Lin Che and his spirit beast.

Even the development of Shattered Star Lake is not yet complete, and its future development is unknown. How can we be blindly confident?

Liu Qingxue and her brother, on the other side, naturally understood the Lin family's current situation of being "poor and penniless".

But they understood one thing: the Lin family, or rather Lin Che, had a very strong foundation.

The group of formidable and untamed alligator snapping turtles in the lake showed no sign of aggression when they landed on the island, clearly indicating that they had been completely subdued by the family head.

This alone is enough to reveal Lin Che's extraordinary methods and the Lin family's enormous potential.

This is by no means a makeshift team that is on the verge of collapse.

Liu Qingxue is independent and strong-willed by nature. She and her younger brother have achieved almost everything they have today through their own hard work and fighting on the edge of a knife.

Lin Che had done her a great favor by saving her from serious injuries and broadening her path. Although the contract terms were strict, she saw it as an equal exchange and it was only right and proper.

Her hesitation stemmed entirely from concern for her younger brother's future.

However, when she turned her head and met her younger brother Liu Yunzhou's clear and firm eyes, seeing the longing for the future and the unreserved trust in Lin Che, she understood that the two siblings shared the same thoughts.

Finally, the three of them stood still again, facing Lin Che, and spoke in unison, their tone solemn:

"Patriarch, the three of us are willing to become retainers of the Lin family, vowing to stand with the Lin family through thick and thin!"

Seeing that all three had made the same choice, Lin Che felt quite gratified. His judgment was indeed correct; the three he had chosen were not cunning, but grateful and kind-hearted.

But his face did not show any joy; instead, he became even more serious and solemn, his gaze sweeping over the three of them with an almost tangible intensity.

"I'll ask you one last time, are you really sure? Once the secret technique is planted, your lives and deaths will be in my hands. It's not too late to back out now and choose the first path; the resources I promised you will definitely not be less."

The three met his gaze without hesitation, bowed in unison, and swore a powerful and resounding oath:

"Our minds are made up; we will never fail our master's great kindness!"

"Alright!" Lin Che replied in a deep voice, stepping forward to the three of them. His aura became profound and majestic. "Since that's the case, I will now plant the secret technique in your bodies."

The secret technique is called the "Three Phases Spirit Control Contract".

This technique originated from a Foundation Establishment stage inner disciple of the Rebellious Fate Demon Palace who perished together with another ten years ago. Originally a high-grade Spirit rank technique, it has now reached the high-grade Earth rank after being upgraded by the system.

The secret method contains three contracts, which are extremely profound:

Spirit Servant Contract: Plants a "Soul Seed" in the target's soul essence, establishing a one-way master-servant contract.

The master can detonate the soul seed with a single thought, causing the servants to perish completely; this is the most fundamental constraint.

Silent Agreement: A secret rune is formed to seal specific core secrets. The recipient will be unable to reveal the sealed information in any way (speech, writing, divine thought, etc.), thus fundamentally preventing the secret from being leaked.

Heart Mirror Pact: Constructs a "flawless heart mirror" in the recipient's sea of ​​consciousness to protect against external enemies' spying.

When encountering a high-level cultivator's mental probing, the Mind Mirror can distort perception, reflecting false memories or vague information preset by the caster, and alerting the subject the moment the probing occurs.

Only with these three agreements can we ensure the loyalty of our offerings and protect the family's core secrets from being leaked.

Lin Che, who comes from a demonic sect, never believes in empty vows, and is even less willing to test fragile human nature.

In the future, there will inevitably be external threats and temptations. Rather than relying on the unwavering will and affection for the Lin family of the worshippers, it is better to eliminate any possibility of betrayal from the very beginning.

"Next, during the procedure, you must completely relax and not have any thoughts of resistance. Otherwise, the secret technique will backfire, and the consequences will be unpredictable." Lin Che's expression was solemn, and his voice carried an unquestionable authority.

All three held their breath and nodded solemnly.

They knew all too well the dangers of the secret arts that affected the soul, and having made their choice, they would trust them completely.

The Spirit Servant Contract begins first.

Lin Che channeled spiritual energy through his fingertips, carefully drawing a drop of essence blood containing the origin from between Liu Qingxue, Liu Yunzhou, and Su Wanwan's eyebrows, and extracting a wisp of delicate yet crucial divine soul, then combining it with the true names recited by the three of them.

Using his own more powerful divine soul as a furnace, and supplemented by secret incantations, he slowly refined three "Soul Seeds" that shimmered with a deep luster and contained the rules of master and servant within his sea of ​​consciousness.

Immediately, his gaze sharpened, and the three soul seeds transformed into streams of light, precisely entering the three people's brows and reaching the depths of their divine soul origins.