The crimson-golden sun slowly rose from the east, casting shimmering light across the sea. A sea breeze, tinged with a faint fishy scent, blew in from the open waters—damp and bone-chilling in the late autumn air.
Waves crashed in rhythmic succession against the rocky cliff face. As the mist above the sea gradually lifted, an island emerged abruptly from the haze.
Located in the western waters of the Sun-Moon Empire, the island sat far from the mainland, yet not so deep into the ocean as to fall beyond reach. This placement spared it from the myriad powerful sea soul beasts that roamed the deeper oceans. Thus, it remained within the vast territory of the Sun-Moon Empire and was under its direct jurisdiction.
The island wasn't especially large, but unlike most sea islands, it was encircled by a massive, solid wall built of gray-blue marble. The wall stood nearly fifty meters tall.
The relentless waves had carved the marks of time into the stone, yet the fortress walls remained immovable—standing tall and unyielding.
At intervals along the battlements, gaping embrasures housed massive gun barrels that gleamed with a dark metallic luster. Rows of well-trained, stern-faced soldiers patrolled the wall in strict formation, their dark blue standard-issue armor reflecting strange halos under the sunlight.
This island was a maritime military outpost established by the Sun-Moon Empire to repel the sea soul beasts that threatened the western waters. Bases like this were not uncommon along the empire's western and southern coasts. Despite the advances in soul tool technology, humanity still lacked the means to conquer the vast and mysterious seas.
After all, the powerful soul beasts of the deep seas far surpassed their terrestrial counterparts in both number and strength.
Within the fortress walls, there were no bustling streets, no lively towns. Only rows of low stone barracks stood silently. Here and there, small groups of soldiers rested or moved about, retrieving supplies from modest distribution points.
The only structure that vaguely resembled a proper township was the towering fortress at the island's center. Entirely constructed from gray-blue stone, the castle exuded a sense of suppression, even under the bright sun.
Unlike the modest, one- or two-story barracks that filled the rest of the island, this five-story fortress stood out like a crane among chickens.
In the flower garden before the fortress bloomed the island's only true bursts of color. Rare and vibrant blossoms released a pleasant fragrance, masking the salty stench of the sea breeze.
Beside the flower bed stood a young man in an ornate robe of royal purple and gold. Eyes closed, he leaned in to take in the scent of a deep violet ink orchid, its unique petals swaying gently in the breeze.
Though youthful in appearance and still carrying a trace of boyish softness between his brows, the boy's features were remarkably refined. His mid-length black hair just brushed his shoulders, yet streaks of purple ran along his temples and fringe—blending strangely with the black and giving him a hint of unearthly mystique.
His fair, jade-like skin did not bear the look of someone raised in a harsh maritime environment. Rather, he resembled a pampered noble's son.
And in truth, he was far more than that. His name was Xu Zihuang, and his lineage far outshone that of ordinary nobles—he was the son of a prince of the Sun-Moon Empire. However, three years ago, a coup rocked the imperial court. Xu Zihuang's father, once a powerful and esteemed prince, died trying to save the previous emperor. The family was left in ruins.
Perhaps to ease the paranoia among other influential royal branches, or perhaps because the newly crowned emperor wished to avoid further bloodshed so soon after ascending, the five-year-old Xu Zihuang was spared. Instead of execution, he was exiled to this remote island.
"Your Highness, the wind is strong. Please take care of your health," came a steady voice from behind.
Xu Zihuang slowly opened his deep violet eyes and turned his head. His gaze was calm—detached.
Before him stood a tall, muscular middle-aged man in dark blue armor. Though towering and fierce in appearance, the man's demeanor was one of solemn respect. He lowered his head slightly, not daring to meet the youth's gaze directly.
There was no disgraceful scene of a fallen prince being mocked by his subordinates. The dignity of the royal family remained untouchable. Even in exile, Xu Zihuang still bore the imperial bloodline of the Sun-Moon Empire.
If he could be humiliated at will, then what meaning did the royal family's reputation hold?
With his left hand, Xu Zihuang gently smoothed the hair on his forehead, disheveled by the sea breeze, and slowly walked toward the man, narrowing his eyes to study his expression.
"Commander Haixiao, for you to visit me at this hour, I assume something's happened?"
Haixiao nodded. His stiff face twitched slightly.
"This afternoon, a ship will arrive from the imperial mainland carrying one hundred noble ladies, all handpicked from across the empire for their exceptional beauty and talent. His Highness the Crown Prince hopes that you, Your Highness, will choose ten of them—to continue the royal line by passing down the blood of the Zihuang Annihilation Dragon."
At this, Haixiao paused briefly, then added, "Of course, if you wish to keep all one hundred, His Highness will not object."
"Hmph." Xu Zihuang sneered inwardly, though a deep coldness flickered in his eyes.
"Xu Tianran… how thoughtful of you."
He finally understood why Xu Tianran had spared his life back then.
Though the Sun-Moon royal family had many descendants, very few inherited its most powerful martial souls. Xu Zihuang was one of those rare prodigies. At the time of his awakening, not only had he shown the rare trait of innate full soul power, but he had also inherited the Zihuang Annihilation Dragon, a top-tier beast-type martial soul. His bloodline was the purest seen in the royal family in nearly a millennium.
Yet all emotion quickly faded from his gaze. He turned and walked calmly back into the fortress.
"Notify me when the ship arrives, Commander Haixiao. Not like I have the right to refuse… right?"
Now that he understood Xu Tianran's intentions, the tension in his heart unexpectedly eased.
At the very least, he was safe for now.
If he managed to survive, he would likely never leave this island for the rest of his life. He might as well indulge while he could—because that was the only thing still left within his power.
Fortunately, with the current level of soul tool technology, the empire still couldn't extract and preserve his "seed" long-term. That gave him at least the illusion of choice.
More importantly, he could still cling to life for a few more years. He wouldn't even be able to sire children until he was at least three or four years older.
And that… was his deadline.
He knew his cousin's cruelty all too well. Once he produced an heir and had outlived his usefulness—his death would surely follow.
Wandering through the spacious and luxurious halls of the castle, Xu Zihuang sighed inwardly.
"Starting off… with hell-level difficulty."
(End of Chapter)
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