Infiltration

What the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps soldiers engaged in battle had not expected was that, on the southern side within the city walls, another twenty-odd people were quietly making their way toward the central castle.

They were the other twenty-plus Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps soldiers led by Yaoyang.

Although these soldiers' Soul Power cultivation was only in the fifties, with the surrounding stone houses, the darkness, and Yaoyang's Fifth Soul Skill that could conceal their figures, they easily approached the castle without being discovered.

This was the strange aspect of Spirit Attribute Soul Masters. Without the aid of specialized Soul Tools capable of detecting Spiritual Power, even Soul Douluo-level powerhouses would find it difficult to sense anything unusual.

Yaoyang observed the battle between Wang Xiao and Haixiao in the air, then glanced at Qiu Ying, who was being held up by four or five Soul Emperors from the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps.

Everything was proceeding as smoothly as planned.

"Most of the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps' elite forces appear to be fighting right now. There shouldn't be many people left guarding the castle. Once we charge in, follow the battle plan we formulated earlier and eliminate the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps forces remaining inside the castle as quickly as possible. After rescuing Zihuang, we'll use this high ground to deploy Fixed Soul Cannons and blanket them with firepower, wiping out the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps."

Xu Zihuang's identity was too sensitive. They could not allow news of this place to leak out, even if it meant paying a terrible price.

"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.

Although Yaoyang was not a member of the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps, his formidable strength had already won everyone over. Besides, this had originally been Wang Xiao's order.

The dozen or so West Sea Soul Engineer Corps soldiers guarding the front of the castle were tensely watching the battlefield by the eastern harbor, fully equipped and ready to provide support at any moment.

Seeing the massive casualties on their side, the squad leader at the front subconsciously swallowed.

He could hardly imagine that merely twenty-odd Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps soldiers possessed such terrifying combat power. If the entire Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps had arrived, it truly might have spelled their doom.

Just as countless thoughts churned through his mind, his body suddenly tensed, and he abruptly turned his gaze toward the southeast side of the castle.

"Enemy—..."

Before he could finish, his eyes lost focus, and his knees buckled as he collapsed to the ground.

More than twenty figures gradually emerged around the flower beds before the castle's main entrance. Yaoyang, at the forefront, frowned slightly as the purple Third Soul Ring beside him shone with a dense radiance.

He clearly could not understand why this squad leader, whose Soul Power cultivation was only in the fifties and who could not even achieve Externalization of Spiritual Power, had sensed their presence.

What he did not know was that this squad leader merely possessed a special martial soul and was more sensitive to changes in the surrounding temperature. No matter how strong one's Spiritual Power was, it could not isolate the temperature of the human body.

The thought merely flashed through Yaoyang's mind, and he did not dwell on it.

He gave the people behind him a slight signal, then took the lead and charged into the first-floor hall of the castle.

The spacious hall, illuminated by Soul Guidance radiance, was resplendent and magnificent, but no one had the leisure to admire it.

After sweeping their eyes around the hall and identifying the direction, they headed straight up the stairs.

Dense footsteps rang out without end, and the entire castle instantly descended into chaos.

It would not take long for the situation at the main entrance to be discovered. There was no longer any need to conceal themselves. Their foremost objective now was to rescue Xu Zihuang in the shortest possible time.

Before they reached the second floor, a succession of footsteps and crisp metallic clashes from armor rubbing together approached from afar.

"You take them to the other floors. Leave this place to us!" An elderly white-haired man who was only half a step behind Yaoyang flashed with sharp light in his cloudy eyes. He led five people past the others.

Two yellow, two purple, and one black—five Soul Rings abruptly rose beneath his feet, while emerald-green Soul Power radiance spread from his body.

His black Fifth Soul Ring flashed as he spoke. Countless lush green Sword Bamboo shoots burst from the ground at the stairway entrance, piercing deeply into the granite ceiling and sending irregular cracks spreading across the surrounding walls.

Several West Sea Soul Engineer Corps soldiers who had just arrived were even skewered straight through, blood mixed with shattered internal organs spraying out.

"Enemy attack!" The remaining seven or eight West Sea Soul Engineer Corps soldiers who had escaped disaster all had their pupils contract. They hurriedly released their martial souls and various Soul Tools.

Yaoyang nodded silently, stepped past the old man, and led the rest onward up the stairs toward the third floor.

Similar scenes played out on the third and fourth floors as well, but the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps forces left behind in the castle were simply not enough to stop them. After killing the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps soldiers, they also carefully searched every floor for Xu Zihuang.

"Elder Yu, all the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps soldiers on the second floor have been eliminated." A young man clad in the standard dark-purple armor of the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps approached the white-haired old man, who was panting heavily, with a respectful expression.

The old man he called Elder Yu was the one who had previously taken the initiative to block most of the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps soldiers on the second floor.

"I really have to admit I'm getting old. Back in my younger days, killing these little brats wouldn't have tired me out like this." Elder Yu's old face reddened as he discreetly covered the scrape on his abdomen with his right hand, glancing back from the corner of his eye.

I nearly ruined my reputation in my old age. I can't let the image I worked so hard to establish be destroyed like this.

Seeing that the young man was still standing behind him, Elder Yu snapped irritably, "What are you still standing around for? Hurry up and find the Young Master!"

He himself quickly strode down the corridor, searching carefully.

Crack— The door at the end of the second-floor corridor suddenly opened, instantly putting everyone searching for Xu Zihuang on edge. They hurried behind Elder Yu and aimed the Soul Tools in their hands in that direction.

Yet to everyone's surprise, the people who emerged from the room were not West Sea Soul Engineer Corps soldiers, but ten exceptionally beautiful young women. Seeing Elder Yu and the others, who looked ready to fight at the slightest disagreement, the girls instinctively tightened their linked arms.

Only the cold and beautiful blonde girl at the front noticed the dark-purple Dragon Pattern Armor on Elder Yu and the others. She clenched her delicate fists with some excitement.

"It really is the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps."

"Ziyue..." A blue-haired girl with a voluptuous figure nervously tugged Yin Ziyue's arm. Although they all came from noble families, they had been pampered since childhood. Faced with the Soul Guidance Cannon Barrels that exuded a dangerous aura, they could not help feeling afraid.

Yin Ziyue revealed a flawless smile and gently stroked the blue-haired girl's arm to comfort her. "Don't worry. It's fine."

Yet as she spoke, an imperceptible chill flashed deep in her eyes.

Then Yin Ziyue raised her head and looked at Elder Yu, who was leading the group. Maintaining a proper bearing, she introduced herself softly, "We have nothing to do with the West Sea Soul Engineer Corps. We were only selected by His Highness the Prince today. Could you let us meet His Highness the Prince later?"

Everyone cast questioning looks at Elder Yu.

Elder Yu hesitated for a moment before slowly walking over to Yin Ziyue and the others with a smile. "This old man will convey your request on your behalf. But before that, please return to your rooms and rest for a while, young ladies."

Although his expression was gentle, his tone allowed no refusal.

"That would be appropriate." Yin Ziyue gave Elder Yu a deep look before leading the others back into the room.

Someone could not help lowering his voice to remind Elder Yu, "Elder Yu, the Regiment Commander said earlier that we were to leave no survivors."

"Everything will be decided by the Young Master. Do I need to teach you that?" Elder Yu replied blandly as he looked at the ten young women seated on the room's sofa. His gaze carried a hint of warning.

"You two stay here. The rest of you, continue searching for the Young Master with me."