Chapter 96

"Fan Yuan, do you want to die or live?"

Upon hearing Lin Fan's seemingly casual question, Fan Yuan's forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat, and he felt as if he were in an ice cave, a chill rising from his feet to the top of his head, making him shiver uncontrollably and twitch his lips, forcing a smile, "Heh... heh... Young Master Lin, you're joking..."

Lin Fan glanced at Fan Yuan and said, "I'm not joking, and I don't have the patience to play games with you. I'll ask you one more time: do you want to die or live?"

Sweat streamed down Fan Yuan's face, and he was filled with fear.

Fan Yuan certainly didn't want to die. He was only twenty-five years old. Although he was a distant relative in the Fang family and had no significant status within the family, he still lived a life of luxury, with fancy cars and beautiful women. If he stepped out of the Fang family, he would still be a notable figure in society. In another city, he would be treated as a distinguished guest by the Fang family's affiliated clans, who would vie to curry favor with him. He hadn't enjoyed this life enough and was not ready to die. The most painful thing in the world isn't it when a person dies without spending all their money?

So, Fan Yuan hurriedly said, "Young Master Lin, of course, I want to live."

Lin Fan wasn't surprised by Fan Yuan's answer. As the saying goes, one's appearance reflects their character. If Fan Yuan had lived in the 1930s or 1940s, he would have been a perfect candidate for a translator, definitely not someone who would die rather than yield or remain loyal.

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Since you want to live, you'll have to help me. Do you understand?"

Fan Yuan's eyes darted around, and he nodded rapidly, thumping his chest and guaranteeing, "Young Master Lin, rest assured. From today on, I, Fan Yuan, will no longer be Fan Yuan. I will be Lin Yuan. I will be your man. Whatever you ask me to do, I will do. If you tell me to go east, I won't dare go west. If you tell me to beat a dog, I won't chase a chicken!"

"Hmph, as soon as I leave here, I'll contact the family and have them send two or more elders to suppress you. Even if you are a Qi Master, you will still meet your end. We'll see how long you can keep smiling."

Although Lin Fan was only at the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation, he had lived two lives, and his spiritual awareness was incredibly strong. He could immediately detect lies, so he had already guessed Fan Yuan's thoughts. He smiled and said, "But I don't trust your loyalty. You can sell out Fang Erle today, and you could sell me out tomorrow."

Fan Yuan's body trembled, and he said with righteous indignation, "Young Master Lin, you must believe me. To be honest, I've been dissatisfied with Fang Erle for a long time. He always orders me around, makes me do this and that, and even beats and scolds me when he's unhappy. He treats me like I'm not human. Now that there's a chance to serve a better master, I would be a fool not to seize it."

Lin Fan shook his head and said, "Words are cheap. To dispel my doubts, you need to meet one more condition."

Fan Yuan said, "What condition? Just say it, Young Master Lin, and I will do it!"

Lin Fan took out a yellowed piece of paper from his pocket and said, "It's actually quite simple. Let me introduce you to this. It's called a Soul-Binding Talisman. Once it's used on you, you will be loyal to me for the rest of your life."

"Whoosh!"

Fan Yuan suddenly turned to look at Lin Fan, his eyes involuntarily moving down to the talisman in Lin Fan's hand. The crumpled paper was covered with strange, incomprehensible symbols, and it looked as if it could be easily torn apart with a slight touch.

"Young Master Lin... are you joking? How can something like this be real..." Fan Yuan forced a smile.

"Whether it's real or not, we can try it out, can't we?"

As he spoke, Lin Fan's right hand, holding the Soul-Binding Talisman, was brought to his face, while his left hand rapidly formed seals. He muttered incantations, and then pointed his right hand at Fan Yuan.

"Activate!"

In Fan Yuan's shocked and uneasy gaze, the Soul-Binding Talisman transformed into a streak of light and shot straight into his forehead. Upon contact, it didn't stop but directly merged into his head, as if a stick had been vertically inserted into a lake, disappearing without a ripple.

At the moment the talisman entered his head, Fan Yuan's body stiffened, and his eyes became lifeless. His head drooped, and his hands hung limply at his sides.

Lin Fan stood in front of Fan Yuan, his hands forming seals and rapidly changing gestures while muttering incomprehensible incantations. After three seconds, he extended his right index and middle fingers, pointing them at Fan Yuan's forehead. A circle of light rippled out from the tip of Lin Fan's fingers.

As the light rippled, Fan Yuan's whole body trembled. He lifted his head, his eyes regaining their luster, but with less cunning and more confusion. He tilted his head, looking at Lin Fan as if he didn't recognize him.

Lin Fan shook his head and sighed, muttering to himself, "It seems this talisman technique isn't as simple as I thought. Did it fail?"

"Master."

Just as Lin Fan was puzzled, Fan Yuan took a half-step back, knelt on one knee, and looked up at Lin Fan, calling out.

"It seems it worked after all." Lin Fan murmured, then, looking at Fan Yuan, he immediately judged that the latter was now completely loyal to him. Satisfied, he nodded and said, "Stand up."

"Yes." Fan Yuan obeyed Lin Fan's command without hesitation, standing up and respectfully standing in front of him, head bowed, posture humble.

Seeing Fan Yuan's performance, Lin Fan nodded inwardly. The Soul-Binding Talisman was indeed powerful. Although he only had a basic understanding of the technique, he had succeeded by taking advantage of Fan Yuan's moment of vulnerability. From now on, Fan Yuan would be completely loyal to Lin Fan. Even if Lin Fan ordered him to commit suicide, he would not hesitate.

Lin Fan sat back on the sofa and said coldly, "Tell me about Fang Erle's recent activities. He dared to have designs on my daughter. I think he's asking for death."

Fan Yuan, of course, had no choice but to obey Lin Fan's command. He immediately gave a concise account.