Dinner

Night fell, and the city lights began to shine. As the largest city in the entire Yuenan Islands, Yueshu City rivaled some of the major cities in the Sun Moon Empire and the three empires of the Original Douluo Continent in prosperity.

The pedestrians on the broad streets all wore happy smiles.

Having never been ravaged by the wars of the continent, Yueshu City possessed a peaceful air, where the bustling streets seemed silent and the many facets of life were vividly reflected.

Xu Zihuang stood atop a pointed, three-dimensional building and slowly withdrew his gaze. This place was at least fifty kilometers from Yueshu City, yet he could still vaguely make out the scattered lights within the city.

Beneath him stood an ancient castle built into the mountains along the western coast of Yueshu Island. Including the twenty-kilometer radius surrounding it, the entire area belonged to Yaoyang's Private Manor.

For the people of Yueshu Island, this place was an absolute forbidden zone.

The remaining members of the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps were all recuperating here, and Xu Zihuang would live here for the next several years.

The salty sea breeze blew toward him, stirring Xu Zihuang's robes. Before the castle lay an Inner Sea that cut into Yueshu Island, shaped like a crescent moon. A lighthouse stood at each end.

The clear reflection of the Silver Moon on the Inner Sea was shattered by wave after wave before settling back into calmness.

"Zihuang." Yaoyang's gentle voice came from the flowerbeds before the castle below. Xu Zihuang looked over, understood at once, and leaped down, stretching out his body.

His deep purple eyes instantly turned brilliant gold, while two noble purple Soul Rings shone especially brightly in the night sky.

The second purple Soul Ring flashed. Thin, mirror-like Dark Red Crystal formed beneath his feet out of thin air, and with a flicker of his figure, he landed steadily on the ground.

The same soul skill, used differently, could produce entirely different results. Right now, he used his Spiritual Power to lock onto the small space beneath his feet, activating his second soul skill, Mirror Shatter, to solidify it and briefly create a point of leverage.

Moreover, because the solidified space was not large, it consumed a negligible amount of Soul Power. Yet its effect rivaled that of a flying soul skill. Aside from being unable to remain airborne for long periods like Soul Masters with Flying Martial Souls, he could do practically everything else.

Xu Zihuang felt increasingly fortunate that he had obtained Mirror Shatter from the Evil Spirit Orca.

This soul skill combined control, attack, defense, and support. It was absurdly powerful.

By comparison, Meng Lang, who had also fused with an Evil Spirit Orca Soul Ring, had not been nearly as fortunate. Of course, that was only compared to Xu Zihuang. No soul skill derived from an Evil Spirit Orca was weak.

"Not bad. While the age of a Soul Ring is certainly important, truly bringing out a soul skill's power depends on the Soul Master's own control." Yaoyang smiled as he walked up to Xu Zihuang. Ordinary people would have thought that Xu Zihuang's earlier feat was Void Stepping, something only a Title Douluo-level powerhouse could perform, but Yaoyang saw through its secrets at a glance.

He had already grown somewhat numb to the astonishing talent Xu Zihuang had displayed before. Now that Xu Zihuang had developed such a technique, he instead found it only natural.

As he spoke, he handed Xu Zihuang a silver Storage Bracelet.

"Zihuang, these are the Rare Metals you had Yao'er prepare earlier. There are two hundred kilograms of each kind, which should be enough for you for several years. If you run out, go directly to Yao'er in the future. She will prepare more for you."

"It's enough." Xu Zihuang smiled and nodded. Without standing on ceremony, he took it and slipped it onto his wrist.

Yaoyang led Xu Zihuang toward the brightly lit hall on the first floor of the castle and offered a suggestion as he turned to him. "Zihuang, you don't need to rush so much. Cultivation, learning Soul Tool crafting, and Tidal Body Refining—you're putting too much pressure on yourself."

"Only by putting pressure on myself can I better unleash my potential." Xu Zihuang shook his head with a bitter smile.

The experiences of the past month had affected him deeply. If Wang Xiao, Yaoyang, and the others had not risked their lives to rescue him, he would probably still be waiting to die on that island. Especially after what happened at the Yueshu Auction House today, he had come to understand one truth.

Only strength of one's own was fundamental.

Why had Yaoyang been able to retake control of Yueshu Island? Because he possessed Soul Sage level Cultivation. Why had the Five Great Pirate Groups been able to occupy the other six islands of the Yuenan Islands? It was the same reason.

Learning Soul Tool crafting had been part of his plans from the beginning.

Born into the Sun Moon Empire royalty, he had never rejected Soul Tools as the Soul Masters of the Three Great Empires of Douluo in the Original Douluo Continent did.

What his first Martial Soul, Golden Eye, currently lacked most was offensive means. Soul Tools could perfectly make up for that. During his childhood and the three years he was imprisoned, he had already laid a solid foundation in Soul Tool crafting. All he needed now was daily practice to smoothly become a Level 3 Soul Engineer.

As for Tidal Body Refining, it had been a spur-of-the-moment decision after arriving on Yueshu Island. Unlike ordinary Soul Masters, his first two Soul Rings were both Thousand-Year Soul Rings. Once his Soul Power reached Level 30, the age of the Soul Ring he could fuse with would be at least five thousand years.

But his ambitions went far beyond that. Tidal Body Refining was the simplest way for him to improve his physical constitution. It could also prepare him for attempting the Second Awakening of the Body Martial Soul in the future.

Seeing the determination in Xu Zihuang's eyes, Yaoyang became momentarily lost in thought. The figure deeply imprinted in his mind gradually overlapped with Xu Zihuang's present form. The words he had prepared in his heart eventually became a sigh.

"Father and son. In the end, father and son."

Xu Zihuang and Yaoyang walked side by side into the hall on the first floor of the castle. Several tables laden with rare delicacies filled the magnificent golden hall: Thousand-Year Purple Crystal Shrimp, Thousand Year Deep Sea Bluefin Tuna, entirely crimson Thousand-Year Peony Squid, and all manner of top-tier ingredients.

When Xu Zihuang entered, the soldiers of the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps all rose respectfully and saluted him.

"Young Master."

"No need for formalities. Everyone, enjoy yourselves to the fullest tonight." Xu Zihuang walked straight to the seat of honor at the central table, accepted the Crystal Cup Wang Xiao handed him, and drained the finely brewed ale inside in one gulp.

"Zihuang owes you all his life for risking yours to save him."

He did not say anything more sentimental. Sometimes, too much was worse than too little.

Everything was in the wine.

Perhaps it was because everyone had finally finished their long voyage, or perhaps because the atmosphere had been built to perfection, but this dinner was especially lively.

Cups clinked as everyone talked loudly and freely.

Xu Zihuang, drinking for the first time, also allowed himself to indulge for once. After being imprisoned on that island for three years, the repression in his heart was finally released.

He did not use Soul Power to dispel the effects of the alcohol. Only after he had completely lost consciousness was he carried back to his room by several soldiers of the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps to rest.

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