Although the underground palace was vast, there were few places that Lu Qingyun could hide. It was because all the hallways and halls were constructed to a proportion that was too big. Instead, it was as though it was meant to house the monstrous desolate beasts and not for cultivators like him.
He had quickly sped from one hallway to another but still he could sense the killing intent that was on his back.
He had thought that the hunchback old man and Number 2 would be his most difficult foes but this Number 1 had simply demolished them within a few blinks of an eye. If he was caught up by her then he would surely be a goner because he could not imagine himself fighting that thing…
In fact, Lu Qingyun had never been so afraid in his life before. Not even when he had fought the ninth rank golden roc had he known such terrifying fear. At the very least, there was still Qin Keqin at that time but this time he was completely alone.
Just as he had just turned into a hallway, Number 1 had just popped in behind him and her sharp talons could be seen smashing into the stone walls, sending violent shockwaves across the hallway.
Lu Qingyun had almost lost his balance in the resulting shockwaves but he continued to leap forward. Luckily he had plenty of training with his running skills in the recent weeks and he had Qin Keqin to thank for.
He saw an entrance to a hall and immediately flashed inside.
But he was soon stunned; there were no other exits and it was now too late to turn back around…
Indeed with this short hesitation, Number 1 had also appeared at the only entrance of this large hall and her looming terrifying form could be seen clearly!
Lu Qingyun sighed softly as he brandished his half-step divine sword one, "You and me, we have no grudges. Why are you pursuing me as though you have some vendetta with me?"
He was actually not expecting this monster to answer him and he was only saying so in order to calm himself down.
When he had said that, he had changed his sword one to the true divine sword. This was his last stance now and he knew that he got only a single chance to fight back.
"Yan'Er, this is our final battle!"
Yan'Er flew panicky around him before she transformed into his profound aura to lend him strength and her image stood solemnly behind Lu Qingyun, "Master, is this really our last battle? Yan'Er doesn't want to die…"
Lu Qingyun smiled weakly, "Yan'Er, don't be afraid. I will be with you to the very end."
Number 1 did not attack but instead her terrifying presence was still looming over the hall.
For a minute, Lu Qingyun was simply staring at her. Either made the first move…
Lu Qingyun thought with a bitter smile, "Why didn't this monster attack me yet?"
Yan'Er said with a frighten look, "Master, she likes you master…"
Lu Qingyun: …
All of a sudden Lu Qingyun was looking at Yan'Er, "Yan'Er, you are right…"
Yan'Er was startled, "She really likes you master?"
Lu Qingyun said weakly, "It is you. Your presence stops her. I don't know the real reason but it has to be you."
Then he pondered, "Yan'Er is the spirit entity of a ninth rank golden roc. Naturally her desolate force can be sensed by this Number 1…"
"I wonder how that old man manages to make the other Metamorphs obey him?" He was now analyzing the situation rapidly.
He had to think fast because he did not know when Number 1 would suddenly attack.
"Number 2 did not make an attempt to attack me or Number 1 until that old man gives the command. There must be a subtle force that can trigger the consciousness of these Metamorphs…but what is it?"
Lu Qingyun suddenly said to Yan'Er, "Yan'Er, can you tell that monster to take a step backward?"
Yan'Er smiled weakly, "Master, I don't think this will work…"
But she raised her voice to say, "Your name is Number 1, am I right? Now take a step back!"
To Lu Qingyun and Yan'Er utter surprise, Number 1 had actually taken a step backward.
Lu Qingyun muttered, "It works…"
Then he looked up at Yan'Er, "Yan'Er, tell her to change back to her human form. That will be more pleasing to the eyes."
"Alright." Yan'Er said. "Number 1, change back to your human form."
Number one shuddered a little before she had metamorphed into the beautiful form of a naked maiden.
Lu Qingyun was staring blankly at her and was feeling a little guilty. Indeed, this form was more pleasing to the eyes…
But he had no time to admire her naked beauty and he was quite worried how long Yan'Er influence would last. He would not bring this Number 1 to the surface realm or he would be exposing Yan'Er as well.
Therefore he was staring at his godly divine sword…
"You are already a monster now. Your existence will have no meaning now. Maybe this will be an end to your suffering…"
He smiled weakly to Yan'Er, "Yan'Er, tell her not to move and not to resist me."
"Number 1, don't move and don't resist my master!" Yan'Er said cutely. Half of her fear had now vanished. But because she could sense Lu Qingyun's thoughts, she asked. "Master, are you going to kill her?"
Lu Qingyun sighed softly, "If I don't, we will be the ones that will be killed. You have seen her true form already, am I right? None of us will be able to handle this monster if she goes berserk."
Yan'Er nodded and said, "Master is always right."
As Lu Qingyun approached the naked maiden with his sword, she was looking at Lu Qingyun with a pitiful look in her eyes. He gave a soft sigh, "Forgive me…"
All of a sudden his sword movement was halted as he had suddenly thought of something as he reached into his spatial ring to take out a pill. This was the starforge pill that Qin Keqin had given to him and she had thought that he had swallowed it on that day. But he had secretly coughed it when she was not looking…
He was going to take a gambit now and he forced the naked maiden to swallow the starforge pill.
"Yan'Er, tell her that from today onward, she is not a Metamorph but a celestial cultivator. She is not to ever transform into a Metamorph ever again or to take any life." He said.
Yan'Er nodded and did as she was told while Lu Qingyun was sighing softly. He did not know whether he was making the right decision in it but in the end, he could not bear kill her in such a cold hearted manner.
With another sigh, he said to the naked maiden. "From today onward, you are Lu Rongren. 'Rong' for tolerate and 'Ren' for benevolent. You are my sister from now on. My name is Lu Qingyun and I am your brother."
'Lu Rongren' took a woeful look at him and nodded while Yan'Er was hovering around her rapidly, "It is done. I have said the commands in her spiritual sea."
Lu Qingyun said to Yan'Er, "Don't tell the others what we did here…"
"Alright, master."
"Let find my sister some clothing around here first and also…" Lu Qingyun paused for a while before he smiled awkwardly. "I think that Alchemy Hall earlier may have something interesting."
It was not long before Lu Qingyun was able to find some suitable clothing for Lu Rongren.
But since Yan'Er was a spirit entity, he was forced to cloth her himself. While he was at the task, he was muttering awkwardly. "Surely, you can cloth yourself right?"
But the former Number 1/ Lu Rongren did not move.
Then he had an idea and said, "Yan'Er, ask Lu Rongren to dress herself up!"
Yan'Er replied, "Alright master. Dress yourself up Rongren…"
But still Lu Rongren did not respond to Yan'Er commands.
Yan'Er, Lu Qingyun: …
Lu Qingyun quickly said with a low voice, "Yan'Er, are you losing control? Shall we make a run?"
Yan'Er chuckled, "I think Big Sister here doesn't know the term of dressing up. Master, you have to teach her first."
Lu Qingyun cautiously approached her and said gently, "This is dressing up. In the future, you have to know how to dress up yourself."
"Yes…master…" Lu Rongren said.
Lu Qingyun sighed softly. The brainwashing commands seemed to be so inherent in her. He gently said, "I am not your master but your Brother Lu Qingyun. Always remember this!"
"Yes…Brother…Lu Qingyun…" she muttered.
"Good…" Lu Qingyun said as he stared at this peerless maiden who seemed to exude a sanctified aura.
His mind was a little confused as he looked at her. Who was she previously? The hunchback old man had said that she was a saintess cultivator but she had no golden eyes to speak of. Was she really a saintess cultivator previously or were the old man exaggerating things?
Moreover if she was a seventh realm cultivator, it was all too easy to suppress him like what the old man had done earlier. Moreover the mental will of a seventh realm cultivator was not easy to manipulate.
These were the questions that he had no answers at the moment except that this former Number 1 was now his 'sister'.
He heaved a soft sigh as he finished putting on the outer robe on her, "We are going to the Alchemy Hall now. Come after me."
As he left the hall, he had no idea that there was a subtle shift in the eyes of Lu Rongren and that it had turned a desolate purple briefly.