The Glory of the Sun and Moon in the Peerless Tang Sect

……

As night fell, the deck was brightly illuminated by several soul-guided lamps.

Xu Zihuang sat cross-legged in the center of the group, listening to everyone recount their youthful exploits. Guarding the surrounding area was done in shifts. Although there was no fine wine, the atmosphere gradually became more lively.

The next morning, everyone returned to their usual solemnity. From this day forward, they would enter the southern waters of the Sun Moon Empire. Only through this route could they safely reach the Southern Moon Islands.

Because this is the only sea area that has been explored by humans, the probability of encountering powerful sea spirit beasts and various unexpected situations is much lower compared to those unknown sea areas.

Xu Zihuang sat at a table near the wooden bed in the room, on which were scattered fragments of rare metals of various colors. The most conspicuous of these was the upper jaw that had been taken from the thousand-year-old swordfish.

The upper jaw of this thousand-year-old swordfish is harder than refined iron, making it an excellent material for crafting soul tools.

The obscure and intricate patterns shimmered with a brilliant golden light around Xu Zihuang's pupils, while his right hand held a slender, deep purple knife, which he was carving on a piece of dark blue metal.

His movements were swift, yet his hands were steady; each stroke of the knife was deliberate and deliberate. His calligraphy flowed like dragons and snakes, executed in one fluid motion.

As the last metal shavings fell onto the table, intricate patterns quietly emerged on them.

Xu Zihuang frowned slightly as he slowly infused the metal with gentle soul power. Instantly, the deep blue metal block emitted a dazzling blue-gold light, and the soft halo transformed into a pillar of light that rose a full two feet high. The blue halo was straight and firm, without the slightest sway. The metal itself emitted a translucent blue hue.

"The Level 3 Soul Power Amplification Core Formation has been successfully completed."

Seeing this, Xu Zihuang finally relaxed, a smile appearing on his face.

Soul Masters with a spiritual attribute do indeed have an innate advantage in creating and using Soul Tools.

Possessing the Golden Eye Martial Soul with a spiritual attribute, his eyesight is at least several times that of an ordinary person. This allows him to avoid many unnecessary mistakes when inscribing core formations. Furthermore, with his enhanced spiritual power, he can more easily memorize those complex core formations.

This doesn't mean he can now be considered a level three soul master, but now that he has successfully inscribed a level three core magic array, the rest is a natural progression.

This is also thanks to the solid foundation he laid during his childhood and the time he was exiled to a remote island.

After storing all the materials on the table into his soul guide ring, Xu Zihuang got up and stretched.

He understood the principle of moderation, so whether in cultivation or in making soul tools, he adhered to the principle of balancing work and rest.

Stepping out of the room onto the deck to feel the gentle sea breeze, Xu Zihuang was surprised to find that the sails had been furled and the anchor had been thrown into the sea.

Several soldiers from the Imperial Dragon Soul Master Corps, soaking wet, were reporting something to Wang Xiao.

This includes Meng Lang's father, Meng Cang, and Lin Long, who has just advanced to the Soul Saint realm.

Meng Cang's martial soul is the same as Meng Lang's, the Black-striped Narwhal, while Linlong's martial soul is the Black-scaled Dragon Shark, a powerful mutated martial soul.

Having officially entered the southern sea area of ​​the Sun Moon Empire, both of them were sent by Wang Xiao to scout out the surrounding situation out of caution.

Noticing Xu Zihuang approaching, Wang Xiao asked with a solemn expression, "Young Master, this sea area has been sealed off by the Evil Monarch Soul Master Corps."

"The Evil Lord Soul Master Corps?" Xu Zihuang raised an eyebrow, his heart sinking completely.

The Evil Lord Soul Master Group, which is known as the Guardian of the Nation alongside the Imperial Dragon Soul Master Group, is far superior to the West Sea Soul Master Group and the Lan Hai Soul Master Group that we encountered earlier.

The complete Evil Lord Soul Master Corps consists of three hundred people, all of whom have a cultivation level of over forty.

The five Soul Master Corps, known as the Guardians of the Nation, each possess unique characteristics. For instance, the Imperial Dragon Soul Master Corps boasts the strongest overall combat power, the Fire Phoenix Soul Master Corps is entirely composed of female Soul Masters, and the Evil Monarch Soul Master Corps consists entirely of Soul Masters skilled in speed. A direct confrontation with the Evil Monarch Soul Master Corps would almost certainly result in no chance of escape. Furthermore, the Evil Monarch Soul Master Corps' leader is a genuine Level 9 Soul Master.

"Xu Tianran, you really have some tricks up your sleeve."

Without a doubt, these were definitely pursuers sent by Xu Tianran.

"Old Wang, what are your plans?" Xu Zihuang looked up and asked Wang Xiao.

Based on his understanding of Wang Xiao, he should have already taken countermeasures.

Wang Xiao and Yao Yang exchanged a glance, then the latter said softly, "Zi Huang, Uncle Wang and I have discussed it. We plan to split into two groups now. I'll lead a group to cross this sea openly. Back then, Uncle Zheng Xuan protected me and didn't want me to attract too much attention, lest I be targeted by evil soul masters again, so he never revealed our relationship. This warship was originally brought by me, and the people with me are all newcomers to the Imperial Dragon Soul Master Corps like Meng Lang. There's no issue of familiar faces appearing. They'll disguise themselves as my subordinates, using the excuse of going out to sea to hunt the troublesome sea soul beasts. The frozen demonic orca meat in the cold storage room will be perfect for cover."

"The other group is led by Uncle Wang. Zihuang, you and they will land directly at the coastal city in the southwest of the empire. The terrain around the coastal city is treacherous, with many primeval forests. It is impossible to block off every place. They will definitely find it hard to believe that you are going against the grain and actively stepping into the territory of the Sun Moon Empire. Moreover, there is currently a war between the southern part of the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire. You can take advantage of the chaos to enter the territory of the Star Luo Empire and then detour to Moon Pivot Island."

"Let's do it this way without delay." Xu Zihuang had no reason to hesitate. This was indeed the safest option.

Rather than gambling on whether he would be discovered by the Evil Lord Soul Master Corps, he preferred the feeling of controlling his own destiny.

Chapter 25 Oranges

In an unknown forest in the south of the Sun Moon Empire.

Thanks to abundant sunshine and rainfall, the trees are exceptionally lush and verdant. Ancient trees, some hundreds of meters tall and over a thousand years old, can be seen everywhere here.

"Bang bang bang—" The dry wood burning in the campfire made a series of crisp crackling sounds, dispelling the morning mist in the forest.

Xu Zihuang, who had been sitting cross-legged in front of the campfire with his eyes closed in meditation, slowly opened them. A flash of brilliant golden light disappeared in an instant, and his entire aura became exceptionally smooth and refined.

"Finally, I've broken through to level 23."

Nearly ten days have passed since we landed at the coastal city in the southwest of the Sun Moon Empire.

Along the way, the group tried to use their flying soul tools to travel through remote and desolate areas, and no accidents occurred.

He used his flying soul tool intensively during the day to travel and cultivated at night. This allowed Xu Zihuang's soul power, which was already at the peak of level 22, to naturally break through to level 23.

"Young Master." Seeing that Xu Zihuang had finished his cultivation, Rong Jin quickly handed him a bowl of thick, rich meat soup. The soldiers of the Imperial Dragon Soul Instructor Corps who had been guarding the campfire also quickly gathered around and ate some simple rations with the meat soup.

Wang Xiao, who was also carrying a bowl of meat soup, sat down next to Xu Zihuang and reminded him, "Young Master, at our normal travel speed, we should be able to reach the border between the Sun Moon Empire and the Starfall Empire before dusk today. At that time, we will pass directly through the outer area of ​​the Mingdou Great Forest and enter the South China Sea coast of the Star Luo Empire."

Xu Zihuang nodded calmly. This was the route that everyone had already discussed beforehand.

The Mingdou Great Forest is a soul beast forest located in the southeast of the Sun Moon Empire and the southwest of the Star Luo Empire. While the quality of the soul beasts in the Mingdou Great Forest is far inferior to that of the Star Dou Great Forest, which is teeming with powerful individuals, it is rich in mutated soul beasts due to its rare metal veins. These mutated soul beasts are extremely aggressive and frequently attack humans.

It is precisely for this reason that the Mingdou Great Forest became a natural barrier between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire.

However, the twenty-odd people accompanying Xu Zihuang were all elites of the Imperial Dragon Soul Master Corps, with the vast majority possessing soul power cultivation levels above sixty. Furthermore, there was Wang Xiao, a top-tier Soul Douluo with a soul power level of eighty-nine, and Lin Long, a Soul Saint who had just broken through to level seventy. In this Bright Douluo Great Forest, there were very few soul beasts that could threaten them.

Everyone was already used to military life. Breakfast was quickly eaten. Xu Zihuang didn't want to stand out, so he drank the meat soup in his bowl in one gulp and took out a slender, deep purple flying soul tool from his soul tool.

This was specially prepared for him by Wang Xiao. It contained special gems and a core magic array that could store and replenish soul power. Even with Xu Zihuang's cultivation level as a Great Soul Master, it was sufficient for him to use it.

Then, brilliant beams of light shot straight into the sky, but no one noticed them in this remote ancient forest.

……

On a cliff on the border between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire.

"quack--"

The setting sun was like blood, and a mournful cry swept across the sky. A large flock of plump, red-eyed crows swooped down to peck at the rotting corpses on the ground.

Looking down from the cliff edge, one can see the devastated town at the foot of the mountain. Thick black smoke billows from the charred wood.

A girl of about eleven or twelve years old, her eyes red, was chasing away a crow that had come at the slightest provocation. Perhaps she had exhausted all her strength, for in the end, the girl used her delicate body to block the small mound of earth, and began to sob softly.

"Dad was forcibly conscripted to the front lines and never returned from the war against the Star Luo Empire. Mom, how could you bear to abandon Orange, leaving her as a homeless orphan..."

The crow perched on the branch swayed its head from side to side. Following its instincts, it hesitated for a moment, but ultimately spread its thick black wings and joined the flock to enjoy this unexpected feast.

Orange stood up again, her white dress stained with muddy yellow dust. Her bright eyes were red, and large tears rolled down her cheeks. Her long, black hair was disheveled, and her exposed, fair legs were scratched by thorns, making her look particularly disheveled.

Biting her lower lip tightly, Orange sobbed for a long time, the sadness in her eyes gradually being overwhelmed by hatred that was almost overflowing.

"War! War destroyed my home! Duke Dai Hao of the White Tiger! I will make you pay for this in blood and sever the lineage of the White Tiger Dukes!"

Just as Orange was lost in her own emotions, more than a dozen figures suddenly emerged from the dense forest not far away. These people were all dressed in black armor, with a majestic white-striped tiger head on their left breast.

The middle-aged squad leader reached out his right hand and gently touched the remaining red bloodstains on the leaves at his feet, while examining the orange.

"This blood only carries the scent of one person, not the remnants of the defeated Sun Moon Empire."

Upon hearing this, the people behind him couldn't help but curse their bad luck inwardly. If it were the annihilation of a defeated remnant of the Sun Moon Empire, that would be an immense achievement.

On the contrary, one of the boys, who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old, remained expressionless. He stared at Ju Zi's retreating figure with a venomous look.

"Captain, can I handle this person?"

The middle-aged squad leader frowned slightly, recalling the boy's ordeal, but didn't say much.

A young girl from the Sun Moon Empire died here, and who would even know? In his view, taking care of his subordinate's feelings was far more important than the lives of the people of the Sun Moon Empire. Besides, this subordinate of his had excellent cultivation talent. He had absolutely no need to incur her resentment.

Never underestimate the wickedness in human nature, but there are also those who hold fast to their last shred of decency.

Just as the boy was about to get up, a kind-looking man next to him reached out and stopped him.

"Forget it, Leng Jun. Wars between two countries should not involve civilians."

"Not involving civilians?!" Leng Jun laughed angrily. "Do you know? The town where I was born was massacred by the Sun Moon Empire's army. My parents and brothers died at the hands of those bastards! Everyone in the Sun Moon Empire deserves to die! Otherwise, why do you think I suddenly dropped out of the Star Luo Royal Academy and joined Duke White Tiger's Western Army Group? It was to kill all those bastards!"

After saying that, he broke free from the man's arm and walked towards the orange with a cold expression.

"Hmph." A soft laugh suddenly rang out, and Leng Jun turned around angrily to look at an old man who was thin and had a lewd look on his face.

His cultivation level was second only to their squad leader among the group, and because he came from the Star Luo Royal Academy, he always looked down on the old hands in these Soul Master squads whose cultivation levels were almost impossible to improve further.

"Old Sixth Wolf, what do you mean?"

"Little Leng Jun, don't be angry. I, Bei Lao Liu, am quite adept at tormenting those scum of the Sun Moon Empire. Hand this little girl over to me, and I'll make sure you get your revenge later." Bei Lao Liu smiled sinisterly, his old face carrying a hint of fawning flattery.

Leng Jun looked at Bei Laoliu with disdain and warned him in a cold voice, "Stop with your filthy thoughts."

Although he harbored deep resentment towards the people of the Sun Moon Empire, like the man who had stopped him earlier, he also had his own bottom line. Even though this so-called bottom line sounded somewhat ridiculous.

Old Bei Liu was clearly wary of Leng Jun. His eyes darted around, and he still couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire, saying, "The women in the small town where you were born have been harmed by those bastards from the Sun Moon Empire. Maybe this little girl's father was one of them. I'm just giving them a taste of their own medicine."

Neither of them lowered their voices, and Orange, who was not far away, had already noticed. Seeing the white-striped tiger heads on everyone's chests, she dug her nails into her palms with all her might. Especially after hearing Old Wolf Six insult her father, she could no longer suppress the anger in her heart.

Did you see it with your own eyes?

Orange's calm voice trembled slightly.

"What?" Leng Jun met Ju Zi's gaze directly, his breath catching slightly. In Ju Zi's eyes, filled with resentment, he seemed to see a true reflection of himself.

"Did you personally witness my father burning, killing, and looting in your Star Luo Empire?!" Orange roared in a hoarse voice. "My father was just the best chef in this town. His greatest joy was cooking delicious food for my mother and me. If it weren't for the invasion of your Star Luo Empire, my father wouldn't have been forcibly conscripted to the front lines, and my mother wouldn't have died from excessive grief."

When Ju Zi questioned them like this, everyone's faces fell into deep thought. Their hearts, which had been numbed by long-term killing, were subtly touched.

Taking advantage of this moment, Ju Zi pulled a dagger from her clothes and stabbed at Bei Lao Liu. With the aid of her soul power, she moved with incredible speed.

"You little beast!" Orange possessed a soul power of over level 20, something that Old Six Wolf hadn't anticipated. In his panic, he hurriedly released his own martial soul.

His entire body was covered in thick black fur, and his hands became exceptionally long. Only three spirit rings, one white and two yellow, rose from beneath his feet.

With a swift swing of his long arm, he blocked the dagger that Ju Zi was thrusting at him. The immense force was too much for Ju Zi, a food-type Soul Master, to handle. He staggered back several steps before losing his footing and falling off the cliff.

Everyone snapped back to their senses. The sixth wolf awkwardly avoided Leng Jun's icy gaze and explained sheepishly, "It's not my fault. I just lost control for a moment. Anyway, they're from the Sun Moon Empire, so it's fine if they die."

Before Old Six could finish speaking, a series of sounds, as cold as ice, rang out. The squad leader, who had been silent until now, immediately changed his expression and shouted, "Alert!"

But it was all too late.