Star Stripe Empire, Dragon's Hearth City.
"We respectfully send off Your Highness the Saint."
Outside a courtyard, a sturdy old man led a large crowd in seeing Wu Ling off.
The old man's face was dark red. His short, steel-needle hair had already turned gray-white, but his complexion was still ruddy, and his copper-bell eyes were bright and full of spirit.
There was no need to say more. This old man was one of Wu Ling's targets on this trip, Mason Bastion, patriarch of the Defense Clan.
Mason had always resented the Clear Sky Sect deeply, but to him, Spirit Hall was not much better. Because of that, he had refused Wu Ling's recruitment at first.
Then Wu Ling had "unintentionally" revealed the bloodstained tokens of the Strength Clan and Speed Clan, fought Mason, and beaten him black and blue. Lying on the ground afterward, Mason thought things through carefully and finally concluded that while Spirit Hall was not much good, Wu Ling was a good person. Just like in the original story, he chose to serve Wu Ling personally rather than Spirit Hall itself.
Wu Ling did not mind. If Mason did not submit, he could kill him. If Mason did submit, having one more Spirit Emperor under him was harmless.
After returning to the Soulcraft vehicle, Wu Ling twisted his wrist.
"Not bad. That defense is almost comparable to Goran Tremor after he became a Titled Sage. Unfortunately, it is only defense. The Defense Clan has the same weakness as the Speed Clan. Their attack power is too weak."
Wu Ling picked up an orange from the plate and began peeling it. As he thought back over the journey, only the Breaking Clan remained.
The day before he came here, he had already received news from Azure.
According to Azure, the president of the Blacksmith Association, Master Loftus, had long been obsessed with researching Soulcraft devices. After Azure and Sasaki arrived, they did not even need to say much. They only took out the handgun and the manufacturing blueprints, then stated that if he submitted, he could receive even more blueprints. The man agreed without hesitation. Things had gone so smoothly it was almost excessive.
To sum it up, the Strength Clan and Speed Clan were destroyed. The Defense Clan and Blacksmith Association had submitted. Now only the Breaking Clan remained as the final target of this trip, and the Breaking Clan was the one Wu Ling cared about most.
After all, even Wu Ling had never seen a Martial Soul that came with its own Spirit Ring like that. Compared with the Speed and Defense Clans, which had major flaws, if the Breaking Clan participated in a sect competition, they would certainly have a place among the lower four sects.
In the setting, even when every Titled Sage was taken into account, Victor Lance's attack power could rank in the top three of the Spirit Master world.
Of course, a setting like that only needed to be treated as a reference. From what Wu Ling personally knew, there were several people with higher attack power. Still, in the original story, Victor had indeed fought Snake Lance Sage to a standstill while only being a Spirit Emperor. That was a genuine achievement. Because of that, while traveling, Wu Ling gradually recalled the information related to the Breaking Clan.
In the original story, the Breaking Clan's relationship with the Clear Sky Sect had been distant. Because they kept their clan's medicines highly secret, the old sect master of the Clear Sky Sect had even become displeased with them.
After Tang Hao's conflict with Spirit Hall, the Clear Sky Sect expelled Tang Hao and sealed itself away. The Breaking Clan also left the Clear Sky Sect afterward. Later, Spirit Hall targeted the Breaking Clan. Nearly half of the clan was lost, and they never fully recovered. Victor Lance's only son died tragically in that battle. His younger brother, Cassian Lance, was captured by Spirit Hall. Because of that, the Breaking Clan hated both the Clear Sky Sect and Spirit Hall.
"If I remember correctly, Victor Lance's younger brother Cassian has already joined Spirit Hall. In that case, he is a good point to break through..."
After another week of travel, Wu Ling reached the city where the Breaking Clan lived. Unlike his visit to the Defense Clan, this time he first went to the local Spirit Hall branch and picked someone up.
In front of the Soulcraft vehicle, Cassian Lance knelt on one knee.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"Mm. Get in. Since I called you here, you should know what this is about."
Wu Ling waved him into the vehicle with one hand while placing a piece of orange in his mouth with the other.
Cassian entered respectfully, then answered with caution.
"I know a little. It is for the Breaking Clan, yes? If Your Highness has any questions about the Breaking Clan, please ask me freely."
"Questions? No. I dislike trouble. I know the Breaking Clan's focus is attack and medicine. So when I go over, I will first fight Victor Lance once, then compete with him in medicine once. After that, it will be your turn to persuade him. If he agrees, I will give him something good, and everyone will be happy. If he refuses..."
At that point, Wu Ling patted Cassian on the shoulder as though comforting him.
"Then you will need to take responsibility for reviving the clan."
After hearing Wu Ling's words, Cassian faintly felt soreness on both sides of his waist. It was probably from taking the wrong medicine during the tests a few days ago.
Just then, the Soulcraft vehicle suddenly stopped hard. The jolt did nothing to Wu Ling or Cassian, but the shouting outside spoiled Wu Ling's mood.
"Ah! It hurts! They hit someone! Come look, everyone! They hit someone!"
Wu Ling tilted his head.
"What happened?"
"Someone suddenly ran in front of the vehicle and fell over, but... but I clearly did not hit him!" the driver said, tense and flustered.
"A staged accident scam? I did not expect that vehicles have only been around for a few years, and this sort of person has already appeared."
Disgust flickered through Wu Ling's eyes.
Then he looked at Cassian.
"Cassian Lance, go check that man's injuries. If they are real, compensate him. If they are fake, kill him directly."
"Yes."
As Cassian got out, the man in front changed his tune.
"Do you know who I am? I am a disciple of the Flying Sword Sect! You dared crash into a disciple of our Flying Sword Sect. Let me tell you, if you do not pay, this matter will not end!"
Through the vehicle window, Wu Ling saw Cassian bend down, apparently checking the man's condition. A moment later, a scream rang out. All sorts of shrieks flooded Wu Ling's ears.
"Your Highness, it has been confirmed that the man was pretending."
Cassian stood outside the vehicle. Then, with perfect respect, he placed a head in front of Wu Ling's carriage.
Wu Ling did not even glance at it. He directly called Ghost Sage and Chrysanthemum Sage over.
"Your Highness, why did you call us?"
"The Flying Sword Sect is one of the lower four sects, correct?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Their sect master is a level 83..." Yue Guan began to explain, but Wu Ling interrupted him.
"It does not matter. Either way, he dies today. Elders, help me kill him."
Yue Guan and Ghost exchanged a glance. Then Yue Guan spoke.
"Your Highness, other Spirit Emperors are one thing, but he is still the master of one of the lower four sects."
"So?"
Wu Ling looked at Yue Guan expressionlessly. Under Wu Ling's silent stare, Yue Guan's face showed a trace of unnaturalness. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he compromised.
"Understood, Your Highness."