While traveling to Yuexhu Island aboard a Star Luo Empire merchant ship, Xu Zihuang had already gained a general understanding of the island from studying the maps.
There were seven cities on Yuexhu Island in total. However, aside from the main city—Yuexhu City—the other six were much smaller in scale, each with a permanent population of no more than 100,000.
The distant sky was cloudless, and the sunlight poured straight down. Yuexhu City stood along the coast, appearing like a paradise on earth. Its towering walls loomed grandly and unobstructed in the open, projecting an awe-inspiring presence.
The northern port of the island connected directly to Yuexhu City's main gate. On either side of the road, carts and carriages flowed like rivers, the entire scene brimming with vibrant life.
Xu Zihuang raised his right hand slightly to shield his eyes from the blazing sun. Having grown up in Mingdu in the northern part of the Sun-Moon Empire, he was still somewhat unaccustomed to the southern climate.
But it wasn't enough to trouble him.
With his current physical condition, he was virtually immune to the elements. He quickly adapted to the glaring sunlight, rarely filtered by clouds, and walked steadily toward the city gate.
From the din of the crowd around him, he even caught the accents of the Star Luo Empire, as well as those from the Heavenly Soul and Dou Ling Empires.
And there were quite a few of them.
Stopping casually at a shop selling local Yuexhu Island fruits, Xu Zihuang ordered a chilled juice and, without much thought, asked the busy middle-aged shopkeeper, "Uncle, isn't Yuexhu Island part of the Sun-Moon Empire? Why am I hearing so many accents from the original three empires of the Douluo Continent?"
The shopkeeper, noticing Xu Zihuang's refined demeanor and the respectful five guards trailing behind him, immediately realized this young man's status was far from ordinary. With a deferential tone, he replied:
"Young master must not be a local of Yuexhu Island?"
"More than four thousand years ago, wars frequently broke out between the Sun-Moon Empire and the three former empires of the Douluo Continent. Many people fled here during that time—including quite a few from the Star Luo, Heavenly Soul, and Dou Ling Empires. The Yue South Archipelago isn't very large, but it has never been touched by war. Over the past four millennia, intermarriage became common, and that led to what you see today."
As he spoke, his hands didn't pause. He sliced open the hard shell of a gray-brown fruit, inserted a short green bamboo straw about the length of a finger, and offered it to Xu Zihuang with a wide grin.
"That'll be five copper soul coins."
Before Xu Zihuang could respond, Meng Lang, behind him, had already placed a shining silver soul coin on the counter, then resumed following the young master.
Sipping the cold, fragrant juice, Xu Zihuang remained intrigued.
Since Yuexhu Island was to be his starting point, he didn't mind spending some time getting to know it better.
The northern port was only a few kilometers from the city, and before long, Xu Zihuang and his group passed through the gates after paying an entry fee of one silver soul coin.
The broad, clean main avenue was wide enough for more than ten carriages to pass side by side. Towering buildings rose on either side. The city was bathed in a palette of platinum-white, a stark contrast to the Sun-Moon Empire's capital architecture.
As the shopkeeper had said, after four thousand years of intermarriage, the people living in Yuexhu City were no longer purely of Sun-Moon bloodline. Skin tone was one of the most obvious signs—unlike the usually darker-toned Sun-Moon citizens, pale-skinned individuals like Xu Zihuang were far from uncommon here.
Moreover, the clothing styles were bold and liberal. Now and then, smiling young women passed by, their fair skin exposed in the sun, carrying delicate floral fragrances in their wake.
Even though Xu Zihuang's outfit was modest—a close-fitting black combat uniform—his flawless, refined features and those deep violet, noble eyes easily drew attention. Combined with the imposing presence of the five soul emperor-level guards behind him, he caused quite a stir after just a few steps.
Most onlookers greeted him with friendly smiles.
No matter who this young man was, it was better to win his favor. And if they couldn't, it was still unwise to provoke him. After all, a smile cost them nothing.
Xu Zihuang's face showed a trace of helplessness. His interest in strolling further was already fading. He had underestimated how much attention his appearance would draw.
Just as he passed a store by the roadside, his pupils suddenly contracted sharply. He stopped in his tracks and looked through the transparent glass window beside him.
On a tray wrapped in red cloth, he sensed an indescribable sharpness—his spiritual senses as a mental-type soul master picking up on it immediately.
Noticing something was off, Meng Lang quickly asked, "What is it, young master?"
"Let's go in and take a look." Without further explanation, Xu Zihuang pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Seated behind the counter was a slightly chubby middle-aged man with small, squinting eyes and thick eyebrows—he had quite a distinctive appearance.
The moment Xu Zihuang entered, the man's eyes lit up, and he began rubbing his hands eagerly.
"Young master, looking to buy something? We've got all kinds of rare metals, top-quality soul tools—"
Xu Zihuang smiled politely and said nothing. As the man babbled on, his expression slowly grew more awkward.
"Young master...?"
"Show me what's in that tray." Xu Zihuang made no effort to conceal his intent.
The shopkeeper followed his gaze and flinched slightly, his brows twitching. After a moment of hesitation, he put on a sycophantic smile again.
"Young master, you truly have a discerning eye—what you're looking at is the treasure of my store."
Carrying the tray carefully over, he lifted the red cloth with both hands.
There was no dazzling radiance or overwhelming aura—just an object that looked remarkably plain. The item on the tray was small, about half a foot long and as thick as a finger. It tapered from a wide base to a narrow, razor-sharp tip. The lower half was a blade about half an inch wide. The entire tool was antiquated and black, faintly etched with patterns, and emitted a subdued, archaic aura—tinged with a sense of solemnity.
Neither Xu Zihuang nor the men behind him were strangers to this item.
An engraving knife—a tool used by soul engineers for inscribing core formations. Both ends of the knife served different purposes depending on the type of formation being carved. No soul engineer could be without one; it was an essential instrument in crafting soul tools.
(End of Chapter)
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