Before Jisoo could reply, Meiyun suddenly stood up, her legs trembling, and then dropped to one knee in front of Ming.
She bowed deeply — the kind of bow that meant complete submission — and her voice shook as she spoke:
"I, Meiyun… offer my life, my death, and my body to Master Ming.
In return, you must help me eliminate my enemies.
If you can do that, then even if you ask me to walk through hell itself… I will never hesitate."
The cave fell silent.
Jisoo… Shenyi… Yunfei…
All three of them stared with wide eyes, completely shocked by her declaration.
Only Hao continued eating loudly, oblivious to everything around him.
Ming slowly stood up.
He looked at Meiyun for a long moment, seeing the same flames he once had — anger, despair, a desire for revenge that could burn the heavens.
Then he reached into his shadow and pulled out his sword.
He sheathed it with a calm, steady motion… and placed his hand over it.
His voice was deep, solemn, powerful.
"From now on, your enemies are my enemies."
"Your life and death are tied to mine."
Then he pointed at her with the hilt of his sword.
"You… are my first blade."
"From this moment on…"
His eyes flashed with both vitality and death — heaven and abyss.
"…I name you Wrath. A blade born from anger."
After all of that, Meiyun stood up and got behind Ming, standing like his true protector.
Then Jisoo stepped forward.
He bent to one knee and said:
"If what you said is true, then I, Jisoo, also want to become your sword."
For Jisoo, this was an opportunity he could not miss.
Seeing this, Shenyi also bent to his knee in front of Ming.
"I also want to become your sword… not for revenge, but because I want to live."
Before Ming could reply, Yunfei walked closer.
He crossed his arms and said:
"I know you are strong… but I cannot become a subordinate to someone who is inferior to me in intelligence."
Everyone froze.
No one reacted — except Meiyun, who shouted:
"You have no right to disrespect my lord!"
But Ming raised his hand to stop her.
He looked at Yunfei calmly.
"So you think you are smarter than me?"
Yunfei didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
Ming looked at Yunfei calmly and asked,
"If you think you're smarter than me… prove it."
Yunfei crossed his arms.
"I will. If you beat me, I'll become your subordinate. But if I win, I walk away."
Ming nodded.
"Very well."
Ming stepped in a slow circle around Yunfei.
"If I tell you that I am lying…am I lying or telling the truth?"
Yunfei froze.
His eyes widened.
His mind twisted.
If Ming was lying → he was telling the truth.
If Ming was telling the truth → he was lying.
A perfect contradiction.
Yunfei clutched his head.
"No… that's… impossible…"
Ming spoke calmly:
"A true genius understands this. Not every question has an answer. But a wise man knows which questions deserve answers."
Yunfei exhaled sharply.
"That question doesn't count! Ask another!"
Ming smirked.
Ming ask there is three swords on the ground:
One chippedOne cleanOne covered in blood
"Choose the strongest sword. If you choose correctly, I lose. Choose wrong… and you kneel."
Yunfei grinned and pointed at the clean sword.
"That one."
Ming shook his head.
"Incorrect."
Yunfei stared in disbelief.
"What!? Explain!"
Ming pointed at each sword:
"A chipped sword survived battle. A bloody sword ended battle. But a clean sword…"
He looked up at Yunfei.
"…has never known battle at all."
Everyone was stunned silent.
Yunfei clenched his fists.
"One last time. If I fail now, I'll become your subordinate."
Ming nodded.
"Final question.What is stronger…life or death?"
Yunfei answered instantly:
"Life."
Ming smiled faintly.
"Wrong."
The cave darkened as his Death Qi spread out like a cold mist.
"Life is fragile .Easily broken. Easily taken."
He stepped closer.
"But death…
Death is absolute. Death is eternal. Death bows to no one — not even heaven."
Yunfei's breath trembled.
His knees slowly hit the ground.
He lost.
Yunfei's confidence finally shattered.
Silence filled the cave.
One by one… they all kneeled.
Jisoo.
Shenyi.
Yunfei.
All bowing before Ming, accepting him as their master.
Ming looked at them — broken people, betrayed people, people who had crawled through hell just to survive another day — and his voice echoed like a vow carved into fate itself:
"From now on… you are my loyal subordinates."
Their breaths trembled.
Ming extended his hand, and his shadow rose behind him like a demon king claiming his first followers.
He pointed at Jisoo.
"Your name is Gluttony."
"For you swallowed despair yet still hunger for revenge."
Then he turned to Shenyi.
"Your name is Envy."
"For you looked at the strong… and wished to stand among them."
Then his gaze shifted to Yunfei — the fallen genius, the sharp mind buried under hopelessness.
"Your name is Pride."
"For even broken, your arrogance refused to die."
Yunfei bowed deeply, accepting the title with shaking hands.
Finally… Ming's eyes moved toward Hao.
The childish man who was once framed, shattered mentally, wandering the cave with innocent confusion.
Ming stepped toward him slowly.
"Now…"
His voice grew heavy.
"You are next."