Little Bowl's words are extraordinarily captivating.

Putting myself in Ai Ye's shoes, if I were Ai Ye, hearing this little girl in front of me issue an invitation with such charming reasons, I certainly wouldn't be able to resist, and would want to join her ranks no matter what.

Of course, this also has to do with my personal character. I just can't resist the "being invited by a beautiful girl to join an organization that guards the world" type of classical scene. But even if Ai Ye's personality is quite different from mine, Little Bowl's words offer enough of a step up, under the pressure of circumstances, she would only follow the current and comply.

Ai Ye quickly handed back control of her body to Xu Gou. Silver mana wrapped around her body, then transformed into jet black like oxidized corroded metal, and the over three-meter tall black power armor reappeared before us.

I'm not sure if the power armor comes with a voice-changing apparatus, but Xu Gou's male voice also sounded.

"——Thank you, No. 2."

He slowly lowered his center of gravity, kneeling on one knee, speaking with heartfelt gratitude: "Thank you for letting me reunite with Ai Ye... I will never forget this kindness. If there's any request in the future, I will go through fire and water without hesitation."

"Shouldn't you first thank me for sparing your life?" I said.

Xu Gou was momentarily speechless, then reluctantly said, "...Alright, thank you too."

Little Bowl smiled slightly and then said, "Mr. Xu Gou, I have something to ask you now, can you listen to my request?"

Xu Gou said with a serious attitude, "Please issue the command."

"I hope you can go and assist Brother Zhuang Cheng next, in jointly defeating the Taoyuan Village Master," Little Bowl said.

Upon hearing this, Xu Gou stiffened.

Little Bowl sharply noticed Xu Gou's anomaly and seriously asked, "Is there some difficulty? For example... because you have worked with the Taoyuan Village Master before, a betrayal against him might make you feel very uncomfortable?"

Xu Gou's body trembled slightly. If he upset Little Bowl, he might never be able to talk with Ai Ye again—though it surely wouldn't come to that, the necessary conditions for meeting Ai Ye were in Little Bowl's hands, and that was undeniably true. He definitely wanted to avoid any scenario where Little Bowl would be disappointed or angry.

Little Bowl might look gentle and kind without combat power, but her nature is not tenderhearted. Xu Gou might also instinctively understand this.

"No, it's not like that... I have no feelings between the Taoyuan Village Master and myself, it's just a relationship of mutual use," Xu Gou quickly said, "It's just... I can't make a move against the Taoyuan Village Master."

"Why is that?" Little Bowl asked curiously.

"It's the contract," Xu Gou said, "Although the Taoyuan Village Master welcomed me into his camp and gave me authority second only to him within Taoyuan Village, he doesn't trust me unconditionally. We have established a contract of mutual non-hostility, and if either side breaches it, their soul will be disintegrated."

"That's not right. You are at the Great Impermanence Level, how could there exist a contract that could bind you?" I said.

After thinking it through, Little Bowl said, "...Your contract was witnessed under 'Paradise', right?"

Xu Gou nodded helplessly. I also understood the crux of this matter.

Generally speaking, any contract cannot bind a Great Impermanence. Just as Ming Zhuo once lost to me and made a contract saying he wouldn't strike the important persons around me, yet he could still make a move against Mazao and others; the contract's meaning is limited to "when Ming Zhuo breaches the contract, I can instantly perceive it."

But even someone as carefree and reckless as Ming Zhuo had an irrefutable contract, which was the contract with Naraku's Will—trading for the Undying Body, he was unable to extend his lifespan in any form. To a Great Impermanence who should ideally live as long as the heavens and earth, he was destined to die soon.

Yes, if the contract is made with an entity vastly more powerful than oneself, even the carefree Great Impermanence must abide by the rules. Similarly, although the contract was made with the Taoyuan Village Master, because it was witnessed by a power far exceeding both parties, 'Paradise', the contract imposes extremely strong constraints.

"Under the contract's constraints, if in the battle to come the Taoyuan Village Master explicitly asks me to stand on the same side and attack Zhuang Cheng, then I would have no choice but to follow. Therefore, I can't stay here anymore in the coming days, otherwise, we will just become enemies again," Xu Gou said.

"This complicates things," I said, "This place is now a chaotic space-time, I can't move an inch here. Not to mention getting close to the Taoyuan Village Master, I doubt I can even retrace my steps. There's no way to advance our situations."

Saying this, I glanced into the distance.

The mana fluctuations of Water Navy Xuanwu had calmed, earlier I could sense him persistently trying to approach our location, yet the fluctuation distance was unpredictably near and far. Sometimes it felt like he was only a few blocks away, other times it seemed his spatial coordinates had deviated to points farther than this city's border. Now he seemed to understand that no matter his actions he couldn't meet us, so he temporarily gave up approaching.

As a combat power of the Taoyuan Village faction, Xu Gou wouldn't be affected by such chaos. Initially, I hoped Xu Gou could lead the way for me, but now it seems quite difficult.

Should I simply force Xu Gou to lead the way for me? After all, he's now half-dead after being beaten by me, in a state where he cannot fight, even if the Taoyuan Village Master asks him to rebel later, he won't stir much trouble.

But he'll likely be reckoned with by the Taoyuan Village Master Meng Zhang afterward, and under such circumstances where Meng Zhang is an opponent, I have no confidence that I can spare attention to ensure his survival.

"If you just want to move normally in this Space-Time Maze... I actually have a way to assist you," Xu Gou said.

"How?" I asked.

Xu Gou first said, "Before that, I need to restore my soul."

"I permit it. Go ahead," I said.

Xu Gou took a deep breath.

His soul seemingly started to self-repair at quite a noticeable speed. In a moment, he recovered to almost complete status, and the mana fluctuations became quite vigorous, like transforming from nearly burned-out ashes into a blazing campfire.

Then, he extended a palm constructed of armor, and a glow formed of silvery-white mana appeared in his palm.

The silver light moved in front of me, and I knowingly took it. Although it's an ethereal glow, touching it somehow felt like a solid silver block, and you could clearly sense a pulse-like rhythm from it.

After finishing this action, Xu Gou's mana fluctuations suddenly cooled and extinguished like a bonfire doused with a bucket of water, leaving only a bit of firelight and warmth, his state being even worse than when I first critically injured him.

His voice became immensely weak, almost as if he was about to die.

"This ball of light... can guide you in the right direction within the Space-Time Maze," he said weakly.

I looked at the silver light and then asked him, "Is this the price for breaching the contract?"

"...I didn't directly attack the Taoyuan Village Master, just offered you some assistance, so this level is settled. But... really hard to bear, even with my regeneration power, for a long time I won't be able to regain combat abilities," Xu Gou's breathing was heavy.

I carefully assessed his state and acknowledged: "It appears you are telling the truth, so I won't force you. Can you leave this city on your own afterward?"

"I can. I can handle affairs of this level," Xu Gou replied.

I summoned a fireball and shoved it into his chest. Literally shoved it in, the fireball entered his body like an illusion.

"After going out, go to the Luo Mountain Headquarters. You know the location, right? Then find Fa Zheng and explain your situation to him. I won't require you to help against the Taoyuan Village Master; just help with Fa Zheng and the others against the Evangelical Institute. This fireball contains information I left behind, Fa Zheng will understand when he sees it," I said, "As for your injuries, also use Luo Mountain's resources to conduct proper treatment; I hope you recover your fighting ability before Luo Mountain engages with the Evangelical Institute."

"I'll also try to see if I can use the Blessing Power to heal Mr. Xugou later." Little Bowl carefully observed Xu Gou, "His injuries from breaching the contract seem somewhat different from normal injuries, likely involving properties akin to the True Spirit power... Although treating with the Power of Divine Seal Fragments is not impossible, it will certainly take quite an effort."

"Find Fa Zheng?" Xu Gou was slightly hesitant, "I previously killed his capable subordinate, Fu Feng..."

"Given your combat abilities, he won't immediately seek revenge; you can rest assured," I said.

"But..."

Xu Gou still seemed somewhat troubled, but soon, he seemed to understand, detachedly saying: "Oh right, Ai Ye has already been resurrected, after this let Ai Ye handle all the brainy stuff, I'll only focus on combat... Huh? Why are you looking at me like that, No. 3?"

"...It's nothing, just suddenly feeling complex emotions..." I swiftly changed the topic.

Then, I lowered my head and studied the silver light orb in my hand slightly.

After concentrating, I perceived my spirit aligning with a wonderful experience and realization.

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