"Wei Changqing is powerful, you saw it last time. Even I can fall into his trap if I'm not careful. Are you really planning to keep him?"
Yan Chou didn't question Yan Shouyi immediately, but explained the risks involved, urging Yan Shouyi to be cautious in his decision.
Yan Shouyi said softly, "Wei Changqing still has a trace of good in his heart. Besides, if what happened back then was a misunderstanding, misunderstandings can always be cleared up. So, I want to keep him by my side for a while. If he still can't be guided back to the right path, then it won't be too late to consider how to deal with him."
Yan Chou pondered for a moment and finally agreed to Yan Shouyi's decision:
"Follow me, let's go see Wei Changqing together."
Wei Changqing was still imprisoned in the dungeon, and he also needed Zhang Shanli to lead the way. Thus, the four of them immediately headed to the dungeon.
After seven days, the once ravaged dungeon had been cleaned up. The bodies and blood were gone, but a pungent smell seemed to linger in the air.
Wei Changqing was locked up in the deepest part of the dungeon, personally guarded by the Dog Daoist and the Wujie Buddhist Monk.
Upon seeing Yan Chou return, the two asked, "What did Shouyi say?"
Yan Chou replied, "Shouyi wants to keep Wei Changqing."
"Keep him? Where? By his side or by ours?" The Dog Daoist was the first to object, "I don't care about others, but I absolutely cannot tolerate Wei Changqing by my side!"
The Wujie Buddhist Monk was slightly calmer but also warned Yan Shouyi, "Shouyi, you need to think clearly. Wei Changqing is an ungrateful wretch. Keeping him by your side is like nurturing a tiger that will bring disaster!"
While they were speaking, they didn't avoid Wei Changqing in the dungeon at all. Wei Changqing had long known their attitude towards him, so he disdained to listen to them, merely lying on the pile of straw pretending to be asleep.
"Uncles, please don't worry, I did not make this decision rashly."
Yan Shouyi comforted the Dog Daoist and the others a few words, then walked towards the dungeon.
The Dog Daoist wanted to stop Yan Shouyi but was prevented by Yan Chou: "Let Shouyi handle it himself."
"But..."
"Don't worry, he knows what he's doing."
Yan Shouyi walked to the entrance of the dungeon and called out to Wei Changqing inside, "Kang Jinlong."
Wei Changqing couldn't help but open his eyes.
Everyone else called him Wei Changqing, only Yan Shouyi called him Kang Jinlong.
In fact, this was also a change Wei Changqing made to escape his past. But since everyone kept calling him Wei Changqing, it reminded him of past events, making him increasingly angry.
Yan Shouyi smiled, "I know you harbor resentment. Uncle Dog and Uncle Wujie don't want you to see the light of day again. But I believe your attitude towards Grandma shows that you still have a shred of humanity, unlike Li Genmiao, who is beyond redemption. My father said that what happened back then was a misunderstanding. Don't you want to regain your freedom and personally investigate the truth of what happened back then?"
Wei Changqing sat up and asked, with his back to Yan Shouyi, "What else is there to investigate?"
"Have you tried?" Yan Shouyi asked calmly.
Wei Changqing was stunned.
Yan Shouyi said, "If my father said Zi Tong had an unknown origin, I wouldn't believe him either. So, I can understand how you feel. The reason I'm willing to give you a chance now is solely because you still have some affection for Grandma. Now, an opportunity is presented to you. To be frank, I don't have any clues either, but that's not important. What's important is whether you want to find out the truth. Refuse me, and you'll stay in this dark dungeon forever. Agree to me, and perhaps there's a chance to see the truth."
"But there's one thing I need to make clear beforehand. Given that you once served Li Genmiao, I cannot fully trust you. Therefore, if you want to stay by my side, you must hand over a handle, a handle that allows me to decide your life and death at any time!"
"The choice is yours, consider it carefully."
After this explanation, Yan Shouyi didn't intend to say anything more, quietly waiting for Wei Changqing to make his decision.
Yan Chou and the others also fell silent.
Not long after, Wei Changqing slowly stood up, turned around, and stared at Yan Shouyi through the prison bars, "But I have no handle to give you."
"You do," Yan Shouyi said, "Give me your soul."
Wei Changqing asked, "After I give you my soul, will you be able to control my life and death at will, and treat me as a tool?"
Yan Shouyi replied, "You don't know me, but you know my father. I won't do things he wouldn't do."
Wei Changqing gritted his teeth and finally made his decision: "Alright, I'll go out with you! But I must make it clear, although I'll be by your side, I won't work for you. I'll only go out to investigate what I want to know!"
"No problem!" Yan Shouyi shouted, "Brat, it's your turn."
Lin Zitong stepped forward and extended her left hand, revealing the Shu Ling Snake coiled around the Soul Summoning Bell:
"Lower your guard and let the Shu Ling Snake bite you. From now on, your life and death will be in my hands."
As it had come to this, Wei Changqing had nothing more to doubt. He extended his hand out of the cell. Lin Zitong recited a spell, and the Shu Ling Snake came to life, crawling onto Wei Changqing's hand and biting him.
The bite hurt Wei Changqing so much that he grimaced, but he didn't resist, allowing the Shu Ling Snake to draw something from his soul.
The Shu Ling Snake seemed quite satisfied with its bite, and upon returning to the Soul Summoning Bell, its body appeared to have thickened by a circle.
Then Lin Zitong nodded to Yan Shouyi.
The contract was completed, and Wei Changqing was no longer a threat.
"Little Uncle-Grandfather, please release Kang Jinlong," Yan Shouyi requested.
Zhang Shanli sighed, "I hope your decision this time is the right one."
The Dog Daoist and the Wujie Buddhist Monk also had faces full of worry.
Yan Chou comforted them, "Shouyi has a plan, we just need to do our part."
Zhang Shanli opened the cell door and released the disheveled Wei Changqing.
Wei Changqing still had unhealed injuries and his clothes were covered in blood. After walking out of the dungeon, he walked directly to Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi faced him without fear, meeting his gaze directly.
"Brat," Wei Changqing suddenly laughed, and no one knew what he was laughing about.
The Dog Daoist shouted from behind, "Wei Changqing, I advise you, don't think you're safe just because Shouyi is protecting you. If you have any wicked intentions, the bald monk and I won't let you off!"
Wei Changqing completely ignored the Dog Daoist and voluntarily stood behind Yan Shouyi, having clearly found his position.
Seeing this, Yan Chou also breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed his son had temporarily gained Wei Changqing's recognition, and Wei Changqing wouldn't act recklessly in the short term.
This was good. With Wei Changqing by his son's side, he could help look after him in times of danger.
After resolving the matter with Wei Changqing, Yan Chou said, "Let's go, we still need to see someone."
"Who?" Yan Shouyi asked.
"That painted skin person you saved, Weng Qianxiang."