"This trip wasn't in vain. I didn't expect Xuan Ziwen, someone who cares only about research and nothing else, to start taking on students," Lin Jiayi remarked.
Unlike Lin Jiayi, Lin Xiao cast another glance at Ju Zi nearby. Her complexion looked good, much better than when she was fleeing for her life. Her injuries seemed to have mostly healed.
The Sun Moon Empire indeed had many capable people to have restored her under such circumstances.
The status of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Tool Academy in the Sun Moon Empire needed no explanation. The students who came here were almost the most talented soul mentors in the entire empire. Watching the influx of new students, Lin Jiayi couldn't suppress the smile on his face.
Lin Xiao, however, wasn't particularly interested in this. It wasn't until he returned to his dormitory that evening and saw a blood-red mark at the door that his expression visibly changed.
The Holy Spirit Sect was about to take action again.
The weather that night was far from ideal. Even though the light from the illumination soul tools lit up the entire night sky of Mingdu, it still gave off a hazy, misty feeling from a distance.
The humid air reduced the number of people out at night, and the area near the imperial palace was especially quiet, with only the sound of patrolling guards' footsteps breaking the silence.
Near the palace were the residences of nobles, their tall courtyard walls adorned with expensive colored glass, reflecting beautiful光芒 under the glow of the illumination soul tools.
A gentle breeze passed, causing the wind chimes under the eaves to jingle. Several figures vaulted over the walls, blending into the darkness like ink spreading through the night.
"Who's there?"
Someone in the house seemed to sense something unusual. As they spoke, their figure shot into the air, appearing mid-sky. Then, they saw a large net descending toward their head.
Soul power instinctively surged, and nine soul rings rose around them. Those who served these nobles were naturally formidable, and several soul tools emerged from various parts of their body, aimed forward.
However, as the net fell, a surge of electricity coursed through their body, numbing their limbs. A chill ran through their heart. They realized the attacker was likely a Titled Douluo as well.
Titled Douluo fought in the skies, while on the ground, within the tall courtyard walls, several figures scattered. As soul rings lit up one after another, several hidden sentries in the mansion fell instantly.
"Intruders! Protect His Highness the Second Prince!"
Finally, someone noticed something was wrong. With a loud shout, the Second Prince's mansion erupted into chaos. The sound of footsteps echoed from all directions as armored guards rushed in.
But at that moment, a fierce wind swept through, carrying what seemed like the wails of something within it. The gleaming armor offered no protection, and one by one, the guards collapsed.
Only the guard captain managed to hold on. But with the incessant screeching in his ears, he felt dizzy and disoriented. Just as he steadied himself, he saw five pitch-black soul rings before him.
He instinctively thought he hadn't fully come to his senses. Then, a dark red light grew closer.
In the next instant, with a cry of pain, his swelling flesh burst through his armor.
Lin Xiao clenched his fist slightly, the glow of his third soul ring fading. Glancing at the fallen guard, his gaze quickly shifted to the main hall.
The Holy Spirit Sect moved swiftly, but the earlier warning shout had also spread. Yet, there was still no movement from the main hall.
Several figures gathered behind Lin Xiao, clearly awaiting his orders.
"Wait."
With that single word, Lin Xiao said no more. He naturally had other means to probe the situation inside the hall, but now wasn't the time to reveal them.
From seeing the mark at his dormitory door to moving out with the Holy Spirit Sect, only an hour had passed. There was no time to devise any plans, but for the Holy Spirit Sect, plans weren't necessary.
Lin Xiao's group wasn't the only one acting. Other disciples had already sealed off all surrounding streets, and several elders were handling the mansion's experts in the air. With their numerical advantage, the outcome was decided by sheer numbers. It wouldn't take long for the battle to end.
In just a quarter of an hour, the soul power fluctuations in the air subsided. A figure descended from the sky, glanced at the main hall, and immediately understood something.
The Third Elder scanned the surroundings, lifted his foot, and sent a corpse flying toward the main hall. In the next instant, several beams of light pierced through the body.
The Third Elder raised an eyebrow slightly. A net-like soul tool followed, flying into the hall, followed by a thunderous roar that echoed through the entire building.
"Let's go in," he said.
Lin Xiao waited for the Third Elder, Dark Lightning Douluo, to take a few steps forward before following. As they reached the entrance, the stench of burnt flesh filled the air.
The soul mentors ambushing inside had already lost their combat ability under the Titled Douluo's attack. The Second Prince was sitting on the floor, his clothes disheveled, as if he had just been jolted awake from sleep.
"Who are you?" the Second Prince asked, swallowing hard.
"Debt collectors."
A grim voice came from outside, accompanied by the sound of wheels rolling over stone. A young girl pushed a wheelchair slowly through the door.
Lin Xiao glanced up and saw Ju Zi pushing Xu Tianran inside.
"Big Brother?" The Second Prince's face was instantly filled with panic. "Big Brother, is there some misunderstanding?"
"Misunderstanding?" Xu Tianran's already grim expression darkened further, his teeth grinding audibly.
"What kind of misunderstanding left me in this state?" Xu Tianran said, yanking the blanket off his wheelchair, revealing two empty pant legs.
"Ah—" The Second Prince let out a startled cry, staring at Xu Tianran's lower body. "Big Brother, who—who did this to you?"
"Since I've come here, you can drop the act. The pain I've endured will be repaid to you tenfold."
Xu Tianran's voice gradually calmed, and Ju Zi stepped forward to pick up the blanket from the floor.
Xu Tianran's eyes narrowed as Ju Zi covered him with the blanket. Then, with a dragon's roar, a flash of cold light passed, and the Second Prince's lower body vanished, leaving only a spray of blood.
"Ah—" The Second Prince screamed, still struggling. "Big Brother, this—this was all forced upon me!"
Xu Tianran didn't respond, his chest heaving. A purple light flashed, and one of the Second Prince's arms shattered.
"Hmph, heh."
Beads of sweat dripped from the Second Prince's forehead. He held back his screams, letting out a cold laugh instead. "Xu Tianran, look at the state you're in now. Even if I don't survive tonight, you won't stay in the position of Crown Prince either."