While Elder Cheng was tending to Juzi's injuries, Wang Xiao returned with one hand dragging Leng Jun's corpse behind him.
There was no miraculous escape. No so-called "thirty years east of the river, thirty years west."
A genius who hasn't yet matured can be snuffed out effortlessly. Accidents? Hardly.
Xu Zihuang, disinterested, waved his hand.
"Elder Wang, have the corpse dealt with and clean up the area. Don't leave a mess."
"Yes, Young Lord." The others also noticed the solitary grave nearby. A heavy silence settled over them.
That mother and daughter—both innocent victims of war. As fellow citizens of the Sun Moon Empire, it was hard not to feel a pang of sorrow.
Unfortunately, in their current position, there was little they could do to intervene in this war between the Sun Moon and Star Luo Empires.
"To send the Evil Sovereign Soul Engineer Legion to assassinate the Young Lord, yet refuse to dispatch reinforcements to the front lines—such disgrace to the crown!" Elder Yu sneered coldly.
Xu Zihuang chuckled faintly and said nothing.
To his imperial brother, the throne was likely more important than anything else. It wasn't surprising that he wanted to eliminate him as a threat. What puzzled Xu Zihuang was why his brother feared him so much.
After all, all he'd revealed at the time was innate full soul power and a pure-blooded Zihuang Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon martial soul.
Even if one factored in the remnants of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, they hardly posed a real threat.
Unless… it had something to do with the purple dragon corpse he saw when fusing with the external soul bone, the Radiant Dragon Claw?
At this thought, Xu Zihuang subconsciously glanced down at his left hand.
Not long after, a flicker of yellow lightning lit up the air. Two figures suddenly appeared before Xu Zihuang and knelt on one knee.
"Young Lord, a soul master squad is approaching. They appear to be from the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion."
Xu Zihuang and the others turned toward the distant horizon. Glimpses of vibrant flame-like exhaust from flying soul tools streaked across the sky, heading directly toward them.
The earlier commotion must have drawn them in.
Realizing this, golden runes began to swirl faintly around Xu Zihuang's pupils. Once he confirmed the approaching group's armor bore the Fire Phoenix insignia, he turned to the others.
"Enter the Mingdou Forest through the mountains."
"Yes, Young Lord." Everyone understood his intent. Using flying soul tools now would only attract more attention—and they were close enough to the Mingdou Forest to travel on foot.
Juzi's injuries were only superficial. Her collapse was due to emotional and mental exhaustion. Elder Cheng had already healed her wounds.
Hearing Xu Zihuang's order, Elder Cheng hesitated and asked,
"Young Lord, what about this young girl?"
"Leave her here. Let the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineers take care of her."
Xu Zihuang had already made plans for Juzi. He wasn't necessarily any nobler than his ruthless imperial brother.
What he wanted to exploit was Juzi's deep hatred toward the Star Luo Empire. Only if the Sun Moon Empire once again launched war against the former Douluo Continent's three empires would he have a chance at the throne.
Bringing Juzi with him now served no purpose.
What he needed wasn't a pretty face—but a military goddess, an empress who could command the Sun Moon Empire's soul engineer army. Leaving Juzi here served that goal best.
Almost the moment Xu Zihuang and his group left, a squad of vibrant, red-armored women from the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion descended upon the cliffside.
Like the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, they were one of the nation's Hands of Protection. Every member, from the legion commander down to the last soldier, was a female soul master.
Leading them was a striking woman who looked around twenty-six or twenty-seven. Her fiery red hair was tied in a neat ponytail, and her armor couldn't conceal her imposing figure.
She surveyed the area with sharp eyes. Upon spotting a meter-deep crater nearby, her brow furrowed tightly.
"Big sis, there's a girl still alive over here."
A crisp voice rang out. The woman hurried over to check on her.
With the aid of soul power, Juzi slowly opened her eyes. Her expression was dazed and sleepy—almost childishly innocent. But once her senses returned, grief and hatred clouded her gaze as she stared blankly at the lone grave by the cliff.
She wished—desperately—that it was all a dream.
But reality was cruel. Nothing could go back to the way it was. Her beloved parents, the little town she grew up in—gone.
The intensity of her sorrow weighed heavily on the woman. She couldn't help but look at Juzi with sympathy.
If not for the war, perhaps this quiet and gentle demeanor would've been her true self.
"Little girl, what happened here? Was this an invasion by Star Luo's forces?"
As she asked, her voice faltered. A self-mocking smile flitted across her face.
The ruined town nearby made her question redundant.
Juzi's clear eyes flickered with faint light as a pair of golden eyes surfaced in her memory—noble and commanding.
It was the last image she saw before passing out.
She glanced down at her smooth, bare leg—completely free of wounds. That confirmed it: what she had experienced wasn't an illusion.
So… you weren't the ones who saved me?
Juzi was clever. She knew something wasn't being said aloud.
Shaking her head, she replied vaguely, "I don't really know why I fainted. When I woke up, you were the first ones I saw."
The woman didn't doubt her. Seeing Juzi's fragile state, she refrained from asking more questions.
She assigned a few members to continue investigating the area and asked Juzi whether she was willing to leave.
Juzi remained calm throughout, but her eyes grew sharper and more resolute.
There was only one thought echoing in her heart: revenge.
The war between the Sun Moon and Star Luo Empires raged on.
Another half a month passed. Departing from the southern coast of the Star Luo Empire, Xu Zihuang and his group finally arrived at their destination: Moon Pivot Island.
Located at the northernmost tip of the Moon South Archipelago, Moon Pivot Island was the largest and most prosperous of them all, boasting multiple major harbors.
They landed at the island's northern port, disguised aboard a Star Luo merchant vessel.
The harbor was teeming with activity. Ships of all sizes were docked—merchant vessels trading goods, fishing boats returning from the open sea, and various private craft gathering supplies.
The docks echoed with shouts and chatter. Stalls overflowed with fresh seafood and tropical fruit.
It was even more bustling than many of the Sun Moon Empire's cities.
Xu Zihuang strolled leisurely along the pier, taking in the sights. Behind him followed Meng Cang and four elite guards from the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, all Soul Emperors or stronger.
The others had been dismissed by Wang Xiao to rest or procure rare metals.
Safety on Moon Pivot Island was relatively reliable. After arranging a rendezvous point with Wang Xiao for that evening, Xu Zihuang decided to enjoy this rare moment of peace.
(End of Chapter)