One afternoon, as Li Yu was meditating, the communication token Theron had given him buzzed with a faint, warm light. He infused it with a thread of his spiritual energy, and a voice echoed directly in his mind. It was Lysander.
"Disciple Li Yu," Commander Lysander's voice was formal, but held a clear note of respect. "I have a matter to report that concerns your Golden Shell Guild. During our final sweep of the princes' command structure, we accepted the surrender of their foremost military leader, General Zhong. He has been… insistent on surrendering himself directly to your Guild, and not to us."
Li Yu was taken aback. He searched his memory but came up blank, he doesn't recall a general of that name. "General Zhong?" he transmitted back. "I am not familiar with that name. Why would he surrender to us?"
There was a brief pause on the other end. "My apologies, I forget you were not present at the capital siege. General Zhong was the supreme commander of the princes' army. A powerful expert at the 9th stage of the Core Formation realm."
Li Yu then remembered, he must have been the one in charge when Jian first arrived at the capital. Most likely, he was the one that ordered their armies to make way for them, when Li Yu had arrived, the army had made a path for them.
"We have used our soul-search technique and confirmed he had no willful alignment with the Midnight Infernal Hegemony; he was merely a soldier loyal to the princes he served." Commander Lysander continued on.
This man that was surrendering was the very same man back at the capital. A pragmatic man who knew when he was outmatched. Perhaps he saw that the Guild was perhaps a more merciful entity to surrender to than the zealous Radiant Dawn. Jian did not attack them after being let through after all. "Thank for the information Commander Lysander," Li Yu replied. "What is his current status?"
"Grand Elder Theron has agreed to his request, as a gesture of goodwill to our alliance," Lysander explained. "We have him locked in a suppression array at our temporary headquarters. He is a formidable warrior, and we will hold him for you. The Golden Shell Guild can retrieve him when you are ready."
Li Yu processed this new, complicated piece of information. A 9th stage Core Formation expert was a monumental power. Simply imprisoning such an individual was a massive drain on resources, and letting him go was unthinkable. He was a powerful asset, but also a dangerous liability if left alone.
"Thank you, Commander Lysander," Li Yu transmitted. "The issue is that the Guild currently has no means of restraining an expert of his caliber. Without a powerful restrictive seal, he would be impossible to control. The only sealing technique I know of is one that requires two Soul Formation experts to personally create the seal." He was careful not to mention Jian Xuan by name, only the technique itself.
There was another pause, longer this time, as if Lysander was surprised by his statement. "You know of that soul sealing technique?" Lysander's voice was filled with a new level of shock. "That is a high-level art, not widely known. But it is not the only way."
He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "There is another type of seal, a much older and… more severe method. It is a true master-slave seal for use on humans. Unlike the other soul seal technique, which is a relatively mutual pact that primarily restricts betrayal, the slave seal is absolute. The person bound by it is incapable of resisting any command given by the master. Their will becomes an extension of their master's. Once under the seal, if told to kill themselves they would. It is not particularly seen as a righteous technique either…. But it doesn't have its uses I will admit."
Li Yu felt a chill run down his spine. It was a terrifying concept, the complete subjugation of another person's will. But in this new, dangerous world, its utility was undeniable. A completely loyal 9th stage Core Formation expert would be an incredible asset to the Guild. He could serve as a guardian for Kui, or manage the Guild's more dangerous operations. The moral implications were dark, but the strategic advantages were immense.
Commander Lysander added "It is usually a technique that is used on someone willing to follow another or surrendering, though it binds them completely and they have no choice whether to accept or not, our forces only use it on surrendered people like this Zhong, who can't be trusted otherwise. In the wrong hands it could be dangerous. The other requirement is the one casting the seal has to be stronger than the being taking the seal."
"Such a technique would be… useful," Li Yu finally replied, his voice carefully neutral. "Thank you for the information, Commander. The Guild will make arrangements to retrieve the seal technique and the General. We will be in touch shortly." He ended the communication, his mind already formulating a plan.
There was only one person for this job. He took out another communication token, this one attuned to the Guild's internal network. "Jian Xuan," he sent. "I have a mission for you."
A few days later, Jian Xuan arrived at the newly established headquarters of the Forest of the Radiant Dawn. He had traveled alone, his speed as a Soul Formation expert allowing him to cross the continent in a fraction of the time it would take a normal cultivator. He descended from the sky, his powerful, aura announcing his presence long before he landed.
Lysander was waiting for him in the main courtyard. Having recovered significantly thanks to the sect's powerful medicine, he stood tall, his one remaining arm clasped behind his back. But the moment he felt Jian Xuan's aura, his expression turned to one of profound shock.
He had prepared himself to meet another Soul Formation expert from this mysterious Guild. But he had not prepared for this. This man's aura was far stronger than his own. It was sharper, more condensed, and held a terrifying edge that spoke of countless battles won. This was not a 1st stage Soul Formation expert like himself. This was someone who was at least at the 2nd stage, perhaps even the 3rd or 4th.
Jian Xuan landed lightly, his gaze sweeping over Lysander with a cool, appraising look. "You must be Commander Lysander?" he asked. "I was told you have something for my Guild and I was the person asked to go get it." His presence was overwhelming, but still also respectful but not passive.
Lysander felt a complex mixture of emotions. There was the sting to his pride, having just recovered from his defeat by one monster only to be faced with another powerhouse. But there was also a deep, undeniable respect. The Golden Shell Guild was not just a one-man show.
It had depth. Terrifying, unbelievable depth. "I am," Lysander said, his voice tight. "Welcome."
"I am Jian Xuan, Second Grand Elder of the Golden Shell Guild," Jian introduced himself, his title a clear statement of his position and power.
The revelation sent another shockwave through Lysander's mind. Second Grand Elder? The primordial king who had brutalized Malek was the First. This man was the Second. How many more of them were there? He quickly composed himself, bowing respectfully. "Grand Elder Jian. It is an honor. Please, follow me. Our Grand Elder Theron is waiting to meet you as well."
The meeting with Theron was held in the same simple tent, but the atmosphere was completely different. Theron, the ancient 6th stage expert, looked at Jian Xuan, and even he could not hide the surprise in his eyes. He had expected an expert, but not one of this caliber.
He could sense the sharpness of Jian Xuan's sword aura and will, the sheer arrogance of his power, and the solid foundation of his cultivation. This was no newly-ascended cultivator. This was a true, battle-hardened powerhouse. Theron's internal assessment of the Golden Shell Guild was revised upwards yet again.
First a primordial king who defies all convention, and now this arrogant, incredibly powerful swordsman… a being who could likely hold his own against Vorlag after his transformation. Just how deep does this Golden Shell Guild's power run? The alliance he had proposed was looking more and more like a wise decision.