The golden-eyed youth was none other than Xu Zihuang, who had just arrived at the scene. Using a newly formed dark red crystal in the air as a foothold, he landed steadily on the cliff's edge with Ju Zi in his arms, his gaze cold as he observed the group encased in dark red crystals.
"Crack, crack, crack..."
A series of crisp shattering sounds echoed as the dark red crystals surrounding the group suddenly disintegrated into fine powder, scattering with the wind.
Only Leng Jun and the squad captain managed to avoid the fate of their fallen comrades, surviving thanks to their martial souls and defensive soul skills.
A massive, earth-yellow bear shadow emerged behind the captain, its low growls resonating faintly. His already burly frame swelled even further, with granite-like muscles bulging prominently. His exposed arms, chest, and abdomen became covered in a thick layer of yellow fur as his clothes tore apart.
The captain's martial soul was the Earth Bear, one of the more common yet formidable bear-type martial souls on the continent, known for immense strength and remarkable defense. Even among soul beasts, the Earth Bear ranked in the upper echelons of power.
The captain's five soul rings—two yellow and three purple—though not perfectly configured, still far surpassed those of his deceased subordinates, such as Bei Laoliu.
Even so, he had to activate two enhancement-type soul skills in quick succession to break free from Xu Zihuang's second soul skill, Mirror of Destruction, before it could deal devastating damage in its second phase.
This sharp battle instinct was forged from years of surviving perilous battlefields. He had a strong premonition that taking the brunt of Xu Zihuang's second attack would cause irreversible harm. This fear drove him to burn through his soul power despite the significant gap between his cultivation level and Xu Zihuang's.
Meanwhile, Leng Jun's martial soul proved to be even superior to the captain's Earth Bear. Despite being a Soul Ancestor, his escape from the dark red crystal was slightly faster.
Four soul rings—two yellow and two purple, perfectly configured—glowed around him as his first and third rings simultaneously activated. Golden wind blades radiated outward from his body in dense waves.
In his martial soul state, black wings covered in hard feathers emerged from his back, while his eyes turned razor-sharp, like those of an eagle. However, his hands transformed into lion-like claws.
"A Griffin?"
Xu Zihuang raised an eyebrow at the changes in Leng Jun's body, his cold demeanor unshaken.
The griffin martial soul was a rare lineage on the continent, but its strength was undeniable. Lions and Eagles were both formidable among beast-type martial souls, and a martial soul that combined the traits of both was naturally extraordinary.
For a youth who seemed only fifteen or sixteen to have reached a cultivation level above 40, paired with such a special martial soul, he would have had a high chance of entering Shrek Academy's inner court. Even within the Star Luo Empire, he was undoubtedly considered a prodigy.
However, countless prodigies had perished before reaching their potential.
"Kill them. Leave no survivors." Xu Zihuang's voice was soft, yet it echoed clearly on the silent cliffside.
Leng Jun's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. His gaze shifted from Xu Zihuang to the figures hovering in the air using flying soul tools. A cold chill ran through him, his entire body freezing as despair consumed him.
The captain beside him fared no better, his expression equally grim. His lips trembled as he noticed the exhaust ports on their flying soul tools, which indicated their grade. The majority were class 6 flying soul tools, which required users to be at least at the Soul Emperor level. This meant most of the group had a cultivation level above Rank 60.
Clenching his fists tightly to suppress his fear, the captain made a quick decision. With a fierce push, he shoved Leng Jun away. As his fifth soul ring lit up, he roared, "Head for the Ming Dou Forest! If you manage to survive, take care of my family!"
"I will," Leng Jun responded firmly before leaping off the cliff.
His massive wings spread wide as he turned into a shadow streaking toward the distant Ming Dou Forest, his survival instincts pushing his speed to the limit.
As Leng Jun fled, the captain charged directly at Xu Zihuang, who still held the unconscious Ju Zi. While he intended to help Leng Jun escape, he hadn't given up hope for his own survival.
No one wanted to die—especially not someone like him, who had climbed to his current position step by step. He wasn't willing to lose everything so easily.
Judging from Xu Zihuang's earlier command, the captain surmised that the young man held the highest authority in the group. If he could take Xu Zihuang hostage, he might have a chance to survive.
The air around the captain distorted under the dense yellow glow of his soul power. Rocks and trees trembled as a gravitational force spread outward from him—his fifth soul skill, Gravity Amplification.
But before the yellow aura could reach Xu Zihuang, a deafening roar, accompanied by a miserable scream, shook the skies.
As the dust settled, the captain's figure was barely recognizable. His body was deeply embedded in the rocky ground, with fractures radiating across a five-meter radius. Both of his muscular arms had been brutally torn off, and Meng Cang, with a darkened expression, crushed his head into a bloody pulp with his foot.
"You've got some nerve."
The rest of Xu Zihuang's group descended behind him, their faces showing a mix of anger and solemnity.
If their late Prince were still alive, how could the Star Luo Empire's soldiers dare to act so arrogantly within their borders? In the past, the Purple Brilliant King had suppressed the current White Tiger Duke so completely that he dared not set foot in the Sun Moon Empire for decades.
Even the kind-hearted Elder Cheng couldn't muster any sympathy for the invading Star Luo soldiers. However, the same could not be said for Ju Zi, a fellow citizen of the Sun Moon Empire.
"Young Lord," they addressed Xu Zihuang respectfully.
"Mm." Xu Zihuang responded with a nod, handing the unconscious Ju Zi to Elder Cheng.
As he quietly gazed at Ju Zi's delicate and serene face, countless thoughts swirled in his mind.
He was almost certain that the girl before him was none other than Ju Zi, the future Empress and War God of the Sun Moon Empire. Yet, the trajectory of the plot of events seemed to have shifted due to his presence. According to the normal course of events, Ju Zi would not have experienced such peril as she had just faced.
This realization filled him with unease.