The golden-eyed youth was naturally Xu Zihuang, who had just arrived here. Using the dark red crystal that had once again formed beneath his right foot in midair as leverage, he steadily landed at the edge of the cliff with Juzi in his arms, his expression indifferent as he gazed at the group of people trapped inside the dark red crystal.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" A series of crisp cracking sounds rang out as the dark red crystals encasing the group suddenly shattered into dust, scattering in the wind.
Only Leng Jun and the squad leader managed to avoid being trapped at the last moment by relying on their own martial souls and soul techniques.
Behind the squad leader of the Western Group Army of the Xingluo Empire, a huge, ochre-colored bear's silhouette materialized, emitting low, rumbling growls. His already robust body swelled again, muscles bulging like granite. Thick yellow fur covered his arms and the exposed chest and abdomen where his clothes had been torn.
This was the Earth Bear, one of the continent's common bear-type martial souls. It possessed tremendous strength and incredible defense. Among soul beasts, the Earth Bear ranked in the upper-middle tiers of the soul beast hierarchy.
With five soul rings—two yellow and three purple—though not the ideal combination, he was undoubtedly far stronger than his fallen comrades like Bei Lao Liu.
Still, he had to unleash two augmenting soul techniques consecutively just to break free before Xu Zihuang unleashed the second stage of his soul technique, Mirror's Destruction.
This was the battle instinct honed by surviving countless life-threatening battles. He had a strong premonition that taking the second stage of Xu Zihuang's Mirror's Destruction head-on would cause irreversible damage to his body.
That was why, despite the massive gap in soul power between him and Xu Zihuang, he still expended soul power activating two soul skills.
Leng Jun's martial soul quality was clearly superior to the Earth Bear of the squad leader. Though his cultivation level was only at the Soul Sect rank, he broke through the dark red crystal confinement even faster.
His four soul rings—two yellow and two purple—were in the perfect ratio, and the first and third rings shone simultaneously. Golden, dense wind blades radiated outward from his body in all directions.
In his martial soul manifestation state, black eagle wings covered in sturdy feathers sprouted from his back, and his eyes became sharp like an eagle's. Yet his hands transformed into lion paws.
"A griffin?"
Xu Zihuang raised a brow, the coldness in his eyes unyielding, as he observed Leng Jun's transformation.
The griffin martial soul was rare on the continent but undoubtedly powerful. Lions and eagles were among the strongest beast martial souls. Combining both traits, the griffin was even more formidable.
Judging by Leng Jun's youthful appearance—only about fifteen or sixteen years old—his ability to reach over level forty and possess such a special martial soul marked him as a prodigy even in Shrek Academy's inner division. In the Xingluo Empire, he was certainly considered a genius.
But the continent was littered with talented youths who never fully blossomed, cut down mid-way.
"Kill them. Leave no survivors," Xu Zihuang's voice was low but clear in the quiet cliffside.
Leng Jun suddenly realized something and looked away from Xu Zihuang, struggling to lift his head. At this moment, he could no longer care about Xu Zihuang's previously displayed powerful and strange soul skills.
Looking at the group hovering midair with flying soul devices, his heart sank completely. His entire body chilled.
The squad leader beside him also looked grim, his dry lips trembling slightly. Noticing the number of thrusters on the flying soul devices behind the group, despair filled his eyes.
The level of flying soul devices could be easily identified by the number of thrusters; most were level six. Flying soul devices could not be used beyond their level, meaning most of them had cultivation above Soul Emperor rank.
Clenching his fists to calm his emotions, the squad leader realized their chances of survival were slim. After a moment's hesitation, he pushed Leng Jun away suddenly. As his fifth soul ring lit up, he shouted loudly, "Escape into the Mingdou Forest! If you survive, please take care of my family!"
"I will." Leng Jun nodded firmly but did not waste any time.
A few strides brought him to the cliff's edge. He leapt, spreading his enormous wings and streaking like a shadow toward the faint outline of Mingdou Forest. Driven by his survival instinct, he pushed his speed to the limit.
Seeing Leng Jun flee, the squad leader charged toward Xu Zihuang, who held Juzi. Though he had decided to help Leng Jun escape, it was only the worst-case plan. He had not given up hope of survival.
No one wished to die, especially someone like him who had clawed his way up from the bottom. With his current strength and position, he was unwilling to give up so easily.
From Xu Zihuang's earlier commands, it was clear Xu Zihuang held the highest status among them. Only by controlling Xu Zihuang could he hope to survive.
A thick ochre light distorted the surrounding air, causing rocks and trees on the cliff to tremble as it radiated outward from his body. This was the fifth soul skill he had just activated: Gravity Amplification.
But before this ochre glow could reach Xu Zihuang, a roar mixed with agonizing screams shattered the air.
As the dust settled, the squad leader of the Xingluo Empire's Western Group Army no longer resembled a human. He was deeply embedded in the rock, the ground cracked within a five-meter radius around him. His strong arms had been torn off, and Meng Cang, wearing a dark expression, crushed his ear into a pulp with his foot.
"What audacity."
The others all gathered behind Xu Zihuang, their eyes filled with anger and a touch of sorrow.
If the prince were still alive, he would never allow these scoundrels from the Xingluo Empire to run rampant in their land. Back then, Prince Zihuang had kept the current White Tiger Duke of the Xingluo Empire at bay for decades.
Even the usually merciful Elder Cheng would find it hard to sympathize with the invading Xingluo Empire soldiers, but for Juzi, a fellow citizen of the Sun Moon Empire, it was different.
"Young Master."
"Mm." Xu Zihuang responded softly, understanding. He handed the already unconscious Juzi to Elder Cheng.
Quietly studying Juzi's delicate and gentle face, his mind was full of thoughts.
He was almost certain that this girl before him was the Sun Moon Empire's future empress and war goddess, Juzi. However, the course of events seemed to have changed because of him. Normally, Juzi wouldn't have faced the previous dangers.
This filled him with a trace of worry.
(End of Chapter)
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