The desire to change Ji Yingying, who lacked human emotions, stemmed not only from Ju Zi's inherent kindness and warmth but also from an agreement she had with Lu Jingming.
Lu Jingming had once said that if she could change Ji Yingying, allowing this girl, who was like a killing machine, to regain emotions and rediscover human warmth, then he wouldn't mind helping Ju Zi avenge herself.
Even without this agreement with Lu Jingming, Ju Zi genuinely wanted to change Ji Yingying from the bottom of her heart.
In her eyes, Ji Yingying shouldn't just be a tool of death manipulated by fate, but a living, breathing, flesh-and-blood person with emotions.
After all, Ji Yingying had saved her life. Without Ji Yingying, Ju Zi couldn't imagine the tragic fate that would have befalled her when she encountered that group of ruthless bandits.
"What exactly happened a while ago? Your vital signs almost vanished. If the Linghuai Pearl hadn't activated, the Wuchang Division would have probably declared you dead." Ji Yingying's voice was still cold, but unknowingly, it carried a hint of concern that even she didn't detect.
Over the past few years, Ji Yingying had been by Lu Jingming's side and frequently interacted with Ju Zi.
Subtly, she hadn't even realized that although her actions remained decisive and ruthless, compared to before, she had lost much of her cold cruelty.
Lu Jingming had warned her more than once to treat the White Wuchang and Black Wuchang of the Wuchang Division as comrades fighting alongside her, not as tools or killing machines to be ordered around.
If a mission failed, punishment could be given according to the rules, but human lives should never be taken lightly. As long as it wasn't a major mistake that crossed a fundamental line, a comrade's life shouldn't be easily taken.
After all, the White Wuchang and Black Wuchang of the Wuchang Division were all Fusion Warriors, meticulously cultivated by Lu Jingming with vast resources. They were all valuable assets belonging to Lu Jingming.
No one would casually squander their own assets; even the wealthiest person couldn't afford such waste.
Given Ji Yingying's initial cold and heartless nature, Lu Jingming was genuinely concerned that she might act recklessly and kill indiscriminately.
Fortunately, Ji Yingying was obedient to Lu Jingming's words, and to this day, she had never harmed anyone from the Wuchang Division without reason.
Ji Yingying disliked excessive contact with Changli and others, usually keeping to herself. She would only appear when Lu Jingming summoned her for something important.
Lu Jingming had always hoped to change her reclusive state, but this girl's personality was too cold. When interacting with Zhang Lexuan, Keqing, and others, she always seemed out of place and couldn't integrate.
Only Ju Zi, due to the life-saving grace from back then, consistently held good feelings and kindness towards Ji Yingying.
That's why Ju Zi could always face Ji Yingying with enthusiasm, completely unbothered by her aloof attitude.
When mentioning the recent events, a hint of lingering fear flashed in Ju Zi's eyes, and her expression became solemn.
At that time, she had truly walked on the brink of death, almost perishing.
"A while ago, Crown Prince Xu Tianran was ambushed. The situation was critical, and the assassins' attacks were fierce. I fought with all my might to block a fatal blow for him, resulting in severe injuries to myself. I almost lost my life. If he hadn't used rare heavenly treasures from the Sun Moon Empire's imperial treasury to sustain my life and heal my wounds afterward, I would be dead by now."
Ju Zi slowly began to recount the thrilling assassination attempt that had occurred in Mingdu not long ago, telling Ji Yingying everything from beginning to end.
Through Ju Zi's narration, Ji Yingying also learned about the major event that had previously taken place in Mingdu. It originated from one of Xu Tianran's brothers, who, coveting his position as Crown Prince, secretly hired top assassins and meticulously planned an assassination attempt.
If Ju Zi hadn't bravely sacrificed herself and stepped forward to block the fatal blow for Xu Tianran, Xu Tianran would surely have lost his life.
Yet, even so, Xu Tianran suffered severe injuries, becoming paralyzed from the waist down and losing normal physiological functions, effectively becoming a cripple.
After this incident, Xu Tianran's personality changed drastically, and he plunged into a frenzied revenge.
He ordered the brother who had hired assassins to be executed by lingchi (death by a thousand cuts), a method so cruel and a process so bloody that it sent shivers down one's spine.
This insane and brutal act not only intimidated everyone in the imperial court but also unexpectedly gained the recognition and support of some radical factions.
Even the Holy Spirit Cult viewed Xu Tianran with newfound respect, with its Grand Cult Master Ye Xishui personally adopting Xu Tianran as her godson.
Because of this, despite his disability, Xu Tianran managed to retain his position as Crown Prince.
Through this ordeal, Ju Zi, by her act of self-sacrifice to save her master, completely gained Xu Tianran's absolute trust.
Now, she had become Xu Tianran's most relied-upon confidant, her position by his side unmatched, and she was highly valued.
However, this assassination not only changed Xu Tianran's fate but also completely reshaped his personality.
The once gentle, amiable, and approachable Crown Prince, who treated others with warmth, had vanished, replaced by a gloomy, hate-filled, and utterly deranged avenger.
As a direct witness to all of this, Ju Zi had seen Xu Tianran's dramatic transformation with her own eyes.
Now, facing this drastically changed Crown Prince, Ju Zi couldn't help but feel a deep sense of dread.
Because the current Xu Tianran's methods were too vicious, cruel, and merciless, sending chills down one's spine.
Even his most loyal supporters, if they angered him, would suffer equally tragic fates.
Ju Zi had personally witnessed a once highly valued minister of Xu Tianran, who, displeased with Xu Tianran's ruthlessness, came to advise him, and subsequently died a truly miserable death.
"I understand. This is for you from A'Ming. The energy contained within is enough to support your cultivation to the Soul Sage realm. Even if you possess the Linghuai Pearl, an extra layer of self-preservation is always good."
Ji Yingying nodded lightly, then took out a purple Honkai Crystal emitting a mysterious, faint glow from her embrace and handed it to Ju Zi.
Ju Zi subconsciously reached out and, the moment she took the crystal, a powerful and pure energy surged into her body through her fingertips, making her shiver slightly, her eyes filled with surprise.
Her lips parted slightly, and she asked with a hint of confusion, "This is the Simulated Universe, right? Can I take it out?"
"Yes." Ji Yingying was a woman of few words, simply uttering two words without further explanation.
The Simulated Universe was indeed illusory, but Lu Jingming's True Power possessed the great ability to turn the illusory into reality.
Through Herta's research and exploration, they had now successfully found a way to inject True Power into the Simulated Universe.
With this True Power, the Simulated Universe could fully serve as a transfer station, enabling the spatial transfer of items.