The sun rose and set, casting long shadows on the western walls of the island. Xu Zihuang had seen this scene countless times over the past three years.
Like livestock raised in captivity, he remained confined to this isolated island.
The sea breeze had long cooled the aromatic red tea in his porcelain cup.
A soldier standing at the door lowered his head and quickly approached Xu Zihuang, understanding this. He picked up the teapot from the table, intending to brew a fresh pot.
Xu Zihuang waved his hand listlessly.
"No need. You can leave."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The soldier respectfully stepped back, exchanged a glance with the other guard stationed at the door, and resumed his position, standing straight on either side of the entrance.
While Hai Xiao didn't place overt restrictions on Xu Zihuang's movements, he ensured that his men constantly monitored him.
Xu Zihuang understood this was likely an order from his cousin, Xu Tianran. Knowing this, he refrained from making futile attempts to escape.
Placing the porcelain cup on the table, Xu Zihuang gazed thoughtfully toward the eastern port.
With his spiritual-type martial soul, Golden Eyes, his spiritual power was exceptional, heightening all his senses to an extraordinary degree.
Judging from the sounds coming from the port, the ship carrying the hundred noblewomen that Hai Xiao had mentioned earlier had arrived.
It wasn't long before a steady knock echoed from the door. Xu Zihuang turned his gaze and saw none other than Hai Xiao, the legion commander of the Western Sea Soul Engineer Legion.
"Your Highness, the imperial ship has arrived at the port. Would you like to—"
"Let's go now," Xu Zihuang interrupted before Haixiao could finish.
In his current situation, whether he chose early or late made no difference. For what purpose? To preserve his fragile dignity? His life was already in the hands of others.
...
The rose-gold sun dipped below the horizon, and the vast sea was slowly enveloped by the shroud of night.
Soul-powered lamps were lit in the room by the soldiers outside, but Xu Zihuang remained seated by the crystal window, leaning his head on one hand, his luminous purple eyes deep and captivating.
The soldier who had just lit the lamp suddenly felt a chill in his heart, glancing at Xu Zihuang with uncertainty.
For a brief moment, he sensed an overwhelming aura of danger emanating from the exiled prince.
But he quickly dismissed the thought as his imagination, the soldier scolded himself internally, and exited the room.
…
The silver moon hung high in the night sky, its reflection shimmering faintly on the ocean's surface.
In an uncharted region of the western seas of the Sun Moon Empire, a black shadow abruptly emerged from the water, sending a spray of seawater into the air and shattering the moon's reflection.
The figure had an unusual appearance. While its upper body retained a human form, its lower body was a massive tail fin. Its dark, metallic skin gleamed under the moonlight. Most peculiar of all, a three-meter-long spiraling horn jutted out from its forehead.
"Fourth soul skill: Tidal Surge!"
A deep voice rang out, and the figure's fourth soul ring flared with dazzling light. Thick, blue soul power surged around its body, and a piercing, ethereal whale's song echoed across the sea.
A translucent phantom of a narwhal took shape behind the figure, solidifying into a massive entity that charged forward with terrifying momentum.
In its path, the black-purple shadow of a massive beast flickered across the water's surface, and a monstrous creature suddenly appeared.
Its body, covered in black-purple scales, was over ten meters long, with only part of its body visible above the water. Its eerie purple eyes gleamed like lanterns, and its sharp fangs still dripped with blood.
"Hisssss—"
The creature let out a piercing screech, causing the once-calm waters to roil violently. Its black-purple-scaled tail emerged from the depths, swinging directly at the narwhal phantom.
Despite the narwhal's immense size, nearly twenty meters long, the creature's tail shattered it instantly.
The resulting spray of seawater fell like rain, creating a symphony of splashes across the surface.
Under the moonlight, the black figure's face darkened.
He was a rugged man in his forties. His unusual appearance was the result of activating his beast martial soul through Martial Soul Possession.
Blood covered his body, with numerous wounds visible across his frame.
"Damn it, why is there a twenty-thousand-year-old Sea Serpent here?" He cursed under his breath, a glint of determination flashing in his eyes.
"If I've come this far, there's no need to worry about alerting the Sun Moon Empire's two soul engineer legions."
He resolved to fight to the death.
Though a powerful Soul Emperor with 64th-rank soul power, wielding the Black-Striped Narwhal martial soul, he usually wouldn't fear this soul beast in his peak, but his injuries and depleted soul power—less than half of his peak strength—left him at a disadvantage against the Sea Serpent.
But he had no choice. Fleeing any further was no longer an option as he wouldn't hold much longer.
He had to survive and deliver vital information about the young lord's location.
Metallic sounds rang out as two thick, black cannon barrels materialized on his shoulders. Smaller cannon barrels extended along his arms.
In addition to being a Soul Emperor, he was also a formidable Class 6 Soul Engineer. Previously, to conserve soul power, he had avoided using soul tools during his escape, as they significantly burdened his body.
Brilliant white light gathered in the cannon barrels, ready to unleash a barrage of soul power beams upon the Sea Serpent.
But before he could act, a deep tiger's roar echoed through the sky.
A massive black-winged tiger emerged, its size dwarfing even the Sea Serpent.
Two yellow, two purple, and four black soul rings surrounded it, the seventh black ring glowing ominously—a sign of a Martial Soul True Body.
The black-winged tiger's fur alternated between dark purple and black, with streaks of black, gray, and white extending from its head to its tail. Its robust, streamlined body exuded raw power.
Its wings cast a massive shadow over the sea as it descended upon the Sea Serpent.
With a swing of its black claws, the surrounding space seemed to split apart, sending waves of pain-prickling sensation across the man's skin.
"Thud, thud, thud…"
Segments of the Sea Serpent's enormous body fell into the sea, its blood staining the surrounding waters crimson.
A glow emerged over the fragmented corpse. The once-mighty sea soul beast had perished.
The black-winged tiger's imposing presence filled the man with relief.
"Legion Commander, I've confirmed the location of the young lord's prison."
The black-winged tiger's soul power receded, transforming into an elderly man in his fifties. Though not tall, his aura was fierce. His body was clad in deep purple dragon-patterned armor, and three claw scars marred his right eye. His sharp, tiger-like gaze radiated authority.
Hearing the report, the elderly man's brow furrowed briefly in surprise before his expression turned icy.
"This is your first unauthorized action. It will also be your last."
The middle-aged man's face paled as he withdrew his martial soul.
"Yes, Legion Commander."
The elderly man waved his hand, and soul power pulled the injured man roughly backward.
A strange sight unfolded.
The once-empty sea surface now revealed a massive warship over 100 meters long, its hull covered in an unknown metal. Rows of soul tool cannons lined its sides, their cold gleam reflecting the moonlight.
On the deck stood fifty soldiers, all clad in deep purple dragon-patterned armor, exuding a chilling killing intent.
The injured man landed heavily on the deck, his wounds stinging from the impact.
The elderly man followed, as the soldiers on the deck had naturally heard the conversation between the two earlier, and they all gazed at the elderly man with burning anticipation. As he surveyed his soldiers before issuing a command in a cold voice.
"Members of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, rest and prepare for two hours!. Then, follow me to rescue the young lord!"
The soldiers knelt on one knee, their right fists pressed firmly against their chests.
"Yes, Legion Commander!"
The Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion was one of the five elite Soul Engineer Legions directly under the Sun Moon Empire, known as the "Hand that Protects the Nation." They held the position of the second-most powerful Legion after the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion. It was a force to be reckoned with.
Each legion commander was a member of the royal family. Xu Zihuang's father had once led this legion.
The elderly man, named Wang Xiao, had served as its vice-commander under Xu Zihuang's father.
.....
TN: Note.
Sun Moon Empire Legion (Strong to Weakest)
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion
Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion
Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Legion
Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion
Evileye Tyrant Soul Engineer Legion