In an unknown forest in the southern part of the Sun Moon Empire.
Due to abundant sunlight and rainfall, the trees grew exceptionally dense and lush. Ancient trees towering over a hundred meters were a common sight.
"Crack, crack—"
The dry wood burning in the campfire emitted crisp, crackling sounds, dispersing the morning mist in the forest.
Sitting cross-legged in front of the campfire, Xu Zihuang slowly opened his eyes after completing his cultivation. A flash of radiant golden light flickered briefly in his gaze, and his entire aura became noticeably harmonious and refined.
"Finally, I've broken through to Rank 23."
It had been nearly ten days since they landed at a coastal city in the southwest of the Sun Moon Empire.
The group had traveled through desolate and remote areas using flying soul tools to avoid any unexpected incidents. During the day, they traveled at high speeds, and at night, they rested and cultivated. This intense routine allowed Xu Zihuang, who was already at the peak of Rank 22, to naturally break through to Rank 23.
"Young Lord." Seeing Xu Zihuang finish his cultivation, Rong Jin quickly handed him a bowl of thick, flavorful meat soup. The soldiers of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, who were guarding the campfire vigilantly, gathered around to sip the meat soup while eating simple dry rations.
Wang Xiao, holding a bowl of soup, approached Xu Zihuang and sat down beside him. He reminded, "Young Lord, if we maintain this pace, we should reach the border between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire by dusk today. By then, we'll traverse the outskirts of the Great Ming Dou Forest to reach the southern coast of the Star Luo Empire."
Xu Zihuang nodded calmly. This route had been agreed upon beforehand.
The Great Ming Dou Forest, located at the southeastern border of the Sun Moon Empire and the southwestern border of the Star Luo Empire, was a forest inhabited by soul beasts. While the soul beasts here were not as powerful as those in the Star Dou Forest, the area was rich in rare metal veins, leading to the presence of numerous mutated soul beasts. These creatures were highly aggressive and often attacked humans unprovoked.
For this reason, the Ming Dou Forest served as a natural barrier between the two empires.
However, the twenty or so members accompanying Xu Zihuang were elite soldiers of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, most of whom had soul power above Rank 60. In addition, there were two top-tier experts: Wang Xiao, a Rank 89 Soul Douluo, and Lin Long, who had just broken through to Rank 70 as a Soul Sage. In this forest, there were very few soul beasts that could pose a threat to them.
Accustomed to military life, the group quickly finished their breakfast. Xu Zihuang, not wanting to appear different from the others, drank the meat soup in one go before retrieving a slender, deep-purple flying soul tool from his storage device.
This soul tool, specially prepared by Wang Xiao, was embedded with rare gems and core arrays capable of storing and replenishing soul power, making it suitable even for someone of Xu Zihuang's Soul Grandmaster-level cultivation.
Moments later, dazzling beams of light shot into the sky. However, in this secluded ancient forest, no one noticed their departure.
...
At the border between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire, near the edge of a cliff.
"Squawk, squawk—"
The setting sun bathed the horizon in blood-red hues. A flock of plump, red-eyed crows swooped down, pecking at corpses scattered across the ground.
From the cliff's edge, one could see a desolate town at the base of the mountain. Burnt wooden debris released thick black smoke.
A young girl, about eleven or twelve years old, stood there with reddened eyes, chasing away a crow that had landed. Exhausted, she finally used her frail body to shield a small mound of earth, quietly sobbing.
"Dad was forcibly conscripted and never returned from the front lines against the Star Luo Empire. Mom, how could you abandon Ju Zi too, leaving me homeless and alone...?"
A crow perched on a branch tilted its head, observing her briefly before spreading its black wings to join its flock in feasting.
Ju Zi, her white dress stained with dirt, stood once again. Her large, tear-filled eyes were red and swollen. Streams of tears rolled down her cheeks. Her once-lustrous black hair was now disheveled, and her exposed pale legs were scratched and bloodied by thorns, making her appear pitiful and desolate.
Biting her lower lip tightly, Ju Zi sobbed for a long time. Gradually, the sorrow in her eyes was replaced by overwhelming hatred.
"War… It's war that destroyed my family! White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao, I swear, I will make you pay in blood and end the lineage of your White Tiger Clan!"
While Ju Zi was immersed in her grief and rage, a dozen figures suddenly emerged from the dense forest nearby. They wore black armor with an imposing white tiger emblem on their chests.
The middle-aged squad leader crouched down and gently touched a leaf stained with blood near his foot, carefully observing Ju Zi.
"This blood carries only one person's scent. It's not from any remnants of the Sun Moon Empire's defeated army."
Hearing this, the men behind him inwardly cursed their luck. If they had wiped out a group of retreating Sun Moon soldiers, it would have been a major accomplishment.
One of the soldiers, a youth of about fifteen or sixteen, remained composed, his gaze filled with malice as he stared at Ju Zi's back.
"Captain, can I handle this girl?" the young man asked, his tone filled with resentment.
The squad leader furrowed his brows. Remembering the youth's tragic experiences, he refrained from commenting.
After all, who would care about the death of a Sun Moon girl? To him, the morale of his men was far more important than the life of a Sun Moon citizen, especially since this young soldier showed exceptional potential in cultivation. There was no need to provoke him unnecessarily.
"Fine."
Never underestimate the maliciousness in human nature, but there are also those who hold on to their last boundaries.
The youth, Leng Jun, stepped forward. Just as he was about to act, a burly soldier beside him stopped him.
"Enough, Leng Jun. We don't harm civilians during wartime."
"Don't harm civilians?!" Leng Jun sneered angrily. "Do you know? The town I was born in was massacred by the troops of the Sun Moon Empire. My parents and older brother all died at the hands of those scum! People from the Sun Moon Empire should all die! Otherwise, why do you think I suddenly dropped out of the Star Luo National Academy and joined the White Tiger's Duke Western Army Group? …It's to kill all those scum!"
With that, he shook off the soldier's grip and strode towards Ju Zi, his expression icy and determined.
"Hehe." A sudden chuckle echoed, and Leng Jun turned back with anger to look at a skinny old man with a lecherous look in his face.
His cultivation was second only to the captain's among the group, and because he came from the Star Luo National Academy, he always looked down on these old ones in the soul master squad who were unlikely to advance any further.
"What do you want, Bei Laoliu?"
"Little Leng Jun, don't be angry. Dealing with these scum from the Sun Moon Empire, I, Bei Laoliu, am quite skilled. Leave this little girl to me, and I'll make sure you feel better later," Bei Laoliu said with a sinister smile, a hint of flattery on his old face.
Leng Jun glared at him disdainfully and warned in a cold voice, "Keep your disgusting thoughts to yourself."
Although Leng Jun harbored deep hatred for the Sun Moon Empire, he still adhered to his own moral boundaries.
Although he was full of resentment towards people from the Sun Moon Empire, like the burly soldier who had stopped him earlier, he had his own boundaries. Even though this so-called boundary seemed somewhat skewed.
Hearing this, Bei Lao Liu's eyes flickered with resentment; obviously he feared Leng Jun, but he quickly smirked again. "Didn't the Sun Moon Empire soldiers violate countless women in your hometown? Who knows, this girl's father might have been one of them. I'm just giving them a taste of their own medicine."
Their conversation wasn't quiet, and Ju Zi had already noticed them. Upon seeing the white tiger emblems on their armor, she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. When Bei Laoliu insulted her father, she could no longer suppress her anger.
"Did you see it with your own eyes?"
Ju Zi's voice trembled, laced with rage.
"What?" Leng Jun froze for a moment as he met her hate-filled gaze. For a brief moment, it felt like he was staring at his own reflection.
"I asked if you saw my father killing and looting in your Star Luo Empire with your own eyes?!" Ju Zi's voice cracked as she screamed. "My father was just the best chef in this small town. His greatest joy was cooking for me and my mother. If your Star Luo Empire hadn't invaded, my father wouldn't have been forcibly conscripted, and my mother wouldn't have died of grief."
Her words left the soldiers momentarily silent, their numb hearts stirred by the weight of her accusation.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Ju Zi pulled a dagger from her sleeve and lunged at Bei Laoliu quickly, her speed enhanced by her soul power.
"You little wretch!" Ju Zi had a soul power rank of over 20, which was something Bei Laoliu hadn't anticipated.
Startled, Bei Laoliu hastily activated his martial soul. Black fur covered his body as his hands elongated unnaturally, his three soul rings—one white and two yellow—rising around him.
With a swing of his long arms, he deflected Ju Zi's attack. The force sent her stumbling back, her footing slipping as she plummeted over the cliff.
With a swing of his long arm, he deflected the dagger that Ju Zi thrust at him. The immense strength made it impossible for Ju Zi, a food-type soul master, to defend herself. The force sent her stumbling back. As she retreated several steps, her foot slipped, causing her to fall off the cliff.
The soldiers snapped back to their senses, and Bei Laoliu avoided Leng Jun's icy glare and muttered defensively, "It's not my fault. I just couldn't hold back. Anyway, she's just a Sun Moon citizen. Her death means nothing…"
Before he could finish, a chilling, crystalline sound rang out.
The squad leader's face changed drastically as he shouted, "Be on guard!"
But it was too late.
A strange, dark-red ripple silently enveloped the entire cliff. All of their consciousnesses blurred at the same time.
The last thing they saw was a golden-eyed youth holding Ju Zi, stepping through the air. With each step, a thin, mirror-like dark red crystal formed beneath his feet.
In his cold golden eyes, a storm of fury brewed.
Note: This novel features multiple female protagonists, and Ju Zi is confirmed as one of them.