371: He was foolish, the future was foolish, and I was foolish.

"On the surface, he grants me honor, bestows Authority upon me, and treats me like a precious pearl."

"In reality, I am nothing more than a sacrificial offering he keeps in a cage. Once the time is ripe, not just me, but countless Foreign Races will become the final stepping stones for him to ascend as the Heavenly Emperor."

As she spoke, Lü Yingxin let out a helpless sigh.

"In other words, my greatest enemy has never been you, but the seemingly glorious Royal Court behind me."

"If I don't help you, I die. I have no choice."

After hearing this, Qin Wangchuan's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

This reason sounded somewhat plausible.

An existence close to the Heavenly Emperor treating a descendant with the talent for prophecy as a sacrifice in order to reach the summit—it wouldn't be strange in the Foreign Domains, or even in the Three Thousand Continents.

But this only explained why she wanted to help him; it didn't explain what she could bring to the table.

Lü Yingxin watched the subtle shifts in his expression, a strange feeling spreading through her heart.

Even though this was their first meeting, it felt as if she were already familiar with every subtle expression, movement, and even the meaning behind his gaze.

Taking another step forward, she lowered her voice, speaking with a seductive rhythm:

"The path of a Venerable King is difficult. You are alone, while your opponent is the entire Foreign Domain."

"But if you receive my full assistance, it will become much easier."

"I will give everything I have to help you become the sole King."

Lü Yingxin leaned in slightly, her warm breath almost brushing against his cheek.

"What you need to do is join forces with me and destroy the Huan Yan Royal Court."

"How about it? This deal is quite a bargain, isn't it?"

After speaking, she leaned even closer, almost pressing against his ear, whispering with her breath:

"My... King."

This form of address made Qin Wangchuan's brows twitch again.

He stood up, avoiding her overly close breath, and slowly paced within the Dao Arena.

The warnings left by the future of another timeline certainly had reference value for the present, but he could not follow them blindly.

The Dao of Spiritual Law wanted him to kill her because of a potential 'trouble'.

And the cooperation she was actively offering now was a perfect opportunity.

With this thought, he had already made a decision in his heart.

"We can cooperate." Qin Wangchuan stopped his steps, turned to look at her, his gaze calm and steady. "But you need to leave an insurance policy."

This move was mainly to prevent the possibility of her turning on him later.

Lü Yingxin was not surprised by Qin Wangchuan's caution; it was as if she had long expected it.

She did not argue, but simply raised her hands calmly, her fingertips forming an ancient and complex seal.

In the next instant, two warm and brilliant spheres of light, containing her Origin aura, slowly flew out from between her brows, hovering in the air and trembling slightly.

Then, as if drawn by an attraction, the light spheres lightly landed before his forehead.

Qin Wangchuan was slightly taken aback.

"This is... your Divine Soul?"

And there were two of them.

"Yes."

Lü Yingxin's face turned visibly paler, and her aura weakened slightly, but her tone remained calm. "I am entrusting two of my Divine Soul fragments to you."

"Now, are you at ease?"

Humans have three souls, and the Foreign Races are the same.

When a Divine Soul leaves the body, one does not die immediately, but if the holder erases it with a single thought, the one it was stripped from will perish in an instant.

One Divine Soul fragment represents submission.

Two... this far exceeded a common contract or oath. It was completely handing over one's life and death to the other's control, an absolute obedience akin to 'enslavement'.

"You are actually willing to become a Soul Slave."

He originally thought she would at most make an oath, but he hadn't expected her to be so resolute.

"Soul Slave, is that what you in the Three Thousand Continents call it?"

Lü Yingxin whispered as if asking something she already knew, then raised her eyes.

Her pale complexion did not weaken her presence; instead, it made that smile appear even sharper and more eerie.

"In the Foreign Domains, I was born standing above all races. With Authority in my hands, all races bowed down. Even someone like Xuan Ye would need to lower his head and call me 'Your Highness' upon seeing me."

"Aside from a Venerable King, common Foreign Races would prostrate themselves and hold their breath, not daring to look up even if they only saw the silhouette of my carriage from afar."

The young woman tilted her head slightly, her pale gold pupils still flashing with a mix of seduction and provocation despite her weakness. Her voice lowered, carrying a hint of raspy magnetism:

"A person of my status is now willing to bow her head and be a slave in your palm... Master, are you satisfied?"

As her words fell.

As if changing faces, the alluring charm and provocation on her face vanished instantly, returning to her original coldness.

She raised her wrists, which were still bound by Runic Shackles, and spoke flatly:

"I have shown the greatest sincerity."

"Since you've accepted them, these should be removed, right?"

Still a proud Soul Slave.

He was originally afraid she would bite back later, so her actively offering two souls was exactly what he wanted.

Qin Wangchuan did not decline.

With a thought, he took those two Divine Soul fragments into the depths of his Sea of Consciousness and placed his own mark upon them.

Almost at the same time, Lü Yingxin's entire body shuddered violently. Her legs went soft, and she actually stumbled forward.

Qin Wangchuan instinctively reached out to steady her.

Leaning in the crook of his arm, Lü Yingxin looked up. Her pale gold eyes were somewhat unfocused due to weakness, yet she still stared unblinkingly at his face so close to hers.

Her lips trembled slightly as she murmured:

"So... this is how it feels to have one's Divine Soul enveloped and controlled by another."

"An omnipresent sense of constriction, as if every wisp of consciousness is tied to your single thought. Is this the taste of being subject to another's will..."

Although in the future she had seen, Lü Yingxin had become Qin Wangchuan's Soul Slave many times and was kept in check by him.

But that was ultimately just 'seen' images.

Experiencing it personally like this was a first.

She caught her breath, a faint smile pulling at her pale face as she concluded:

"It's very uncomfortable. I don't know why the future me would like this feeling."

"If you find it uncomfortable."

Qin Wangchuan let go, letting her stand on her own, his voice calm and steady. "You shouldn't have come before me, and certainly shouldn't have handed over your Divine Soul. Don't think I will be like others and feel pity just because you are a woman, refusing to accept it."

Lü Yingxin looked up. Although her aura was weak, her eyes were exceptionally bright.

"Though it is very uncomfortable, I can adapt."

She said softly, the corners of her eyes curving. That cinnabar mole appeared even more crimson against her pale face.

"After all, from now on... I will likely be in this state for the rest of my time."