Pirate Zi Zhenzhu? One of Spirit Hall's Former Saintess Candidates? (Please Add to Favorites!)

Another half month passed in a flash.

Life at sea was dull and monotonous. Apart from the endless sea and sky, there were only the occasional Sea Soul Beasts leaping out of the water.

Then, one day, an excited signal came from the Soul Guidance escort ship on reconnaissance duty:

"An island chain ahead!

And there are signs of human activity!"

The massive Red Sun slowly adjusted its course.

Dozens of Steel Warships spread out in a fan formation, closing in on the islands with a suffocating sense of oppression.

The islands were scattered across the sea, their vegetation thick. Simple docks and wooden sailing ships were just visible among them.

When the Great Sun Prince Mansion's fleet broke through the fog and appeared on the sea like a pack of ancient steel beasts, the pirates on the islands were utterly dumbfounded.

They had never seen anything like it in their lives.

There were no sails. The ships were pitch-black, their metal surfaces gleaming with a cold light.

Most terrifying of all were the rows of dark cannon muzzles. Even from a great distance, the pirates could sense the destructive force contained within them.

Normally, these pirates lorded it over the surrounding waters, plundering passing merchant ships and living quite comfortably.

But now, faced with this Soul Guidance fleet armed to the teeth, they didn't have the courage to resist—or even to flee.

Several small boats tried to set sail, but as soon as they left the harbor, a warning shot from a Level 4 Soul Guidance Cannon aboard an outer escort ship blasted them to pieces. A massive column of water surged into the sky, terrifying the remaining pirates out of their wits.

Just as Xu Zhao had expected, faced with overwhelming force, the pirates didn't dare make a peep.

In less than half an hour, a white flag was raised on the island.

On the broad deck of the Red Sun.

Xu Yu sat regally in a specially made armchair. The pressure of a Level 98 Super Douluo poured from him without restraint, leaving the pirate leaders kneeling below him trembling and drenched in cold sweat.

Kong Yan stood quietly at his side, her expression calm.

Xu Zhao looked over the "natives" with interest.

They were only a ragtag band of pirates, but to the Expeditionary Force, which had been drifting at sea for three months, they were invaluable.

"Raise your heads."

Xu Zhao's voice was quiet, yet everyone heard him clearly.

The pirate leader kneeling at the very front shakily lifted her head.

A flicker of surprise crossed Xu Zhao's eyes.

The leader was a woman.

She looked to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven, tall and voluptuous, with healthy wheat-colored skin and short, neat purple hair tousled slightly by the sea breeze.

Though she looked terrified, and her clothes were somewhat disheveled,

the untamed spirit in her features and the stubborn glint in her eyes, even through her fear, made her stand out.

"You're the leader of this band of pirates?"

Xu Zhao asked.

The woman took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Her voice trembled slightly, but she spoke clearly enough:

"Yes... I'm the captain of the Purple Pearl Pirate Crew."

"We meant no offense to you, honored sirs. We're only trying to make a living on this island.

May I ask where you honored sirs are from?

If you're after wealth, you may take the Gold Soul Coins and supplies in our storerooms.

We only ask... that you spare our lives."

She was a clever woman and could tell at a glance that this fleet was no ordinary force.

Ships of steel and such terrifying weapons were beyond the reach of any empire on the Douluo Continent.

"Purple Pearl?"

At the sound of that name, Xu Zhao's heart gave a sudden lurch.

Xu Zhao instinctively took another look at the woman before him.

Purple hair, a pirate, a fiery personality, and a pretty face...

No wonder she looked familiar!

Wasn't this the Purple Pearl from the original story—the one who had once taken the Shrek Seven Devils hostage and even wanted to force Xiao Wu to marry her and become her wife?

Xu Zhao suddenly understood, then felt an absurd sense of disbelief.

He hadn't even reached the Douluo Continent, and he'd already run into this "old acquaintance."

However, from what he could tell, Purple Pearl had only recently broken through to Soul Emperor. She was nowhere near as powerful as she had been in the original story.

Her pirate crew was also much smaller than described in the original story. Clearly, it was still in its early stages.

"So you're Captain Purple Pearl."

A playful smile tugged at Xu Zhao's lips, and some of the chill left his eyes.

Since she was an acquaintance, things would be much easier.

"We're not after wealth, and we don't want your lives."

Xu Zhao walked over to Purple Pearl and looked down at her, the air of authority around him coming naturally.

"We come from far to the west, and we're heading east to the Douluo Continent."

"We're keeping you alive because we need a guide."

At the words "Douluo Continent," surprise flashed in Purple Pearl's eyes, quickly followed by elation.

If they weren't going to kill her, what did it matter if she acted as their guide?

"You're going to the Douluo Continent?

We know it!

We know it very well!"

Purple Pearl nodded hurriedly, as though she'd just been thrown a lifeline.

"Head east from here at full speed, and you'll reach the waters off Vast Sea City on the western coast of the Douluo Continent in about half a month!

I could draw the local waterways and routes with my eyes closed!"

At that, Xu Yu's eyes lit up. He slapped his thigh hard.

"Good! We're finally almost there!"

Xu Yu looked at Xu Zhao, his eyes full of approval.

His son had been right. There really were people out here on the sea, and they really could tell them the way.

As Xu Zhao looked at Purple Pearl, his thoughts turned to more distant plans.

The Purple Pearl Pirate Crew might be weak for now, but Purple Pearl herself knew Sea God Island and the surrounding waters extremely well.

She even had numerous connections with Spirit Hall.

(Using the manga version of the story: she was once a Saintess Candidate of Spirit Hall. After following Spirit Hall in an attack on Sea God Island, she lost her memory and drifted here, where she became the leader of a pirate crew.)

She was an excellent source of information—and a ready-made guide.

"Excellent."

Xu Zhao smiled faintly and held out his hand to Purple Pearl. His voice carried an unquestionable authority and a note of recruitment:

"So, Captain Purple Pearl, would you be interested in a change of life?"

"Instead of living in fear as a pirate leader on this deserted island, why not bring your people and pledge allegiance to the Great Sun Prince Mansion?"

"Serve as our vanguard and guide. Once we've conquered the Douluo Continent..."

Xu Zhao pointed to the towering Steel Warships behind him and said softly:

"You can patrol these seas on behalf of this Heir Prince. What do you say?"

Purple Pearl looked at the hand held out to her.

She swallowed.

Her gaze swept over the ring of powerful figures around her, their expressions cold and their auras terrifying.

Then she looked at the Steel Fleet in the distance, capable of blasting the entire island flat.

Refuse?

That would be nothing short of suicide.

Besides, the future he promised... "patrol these seas on behalf of this Heir Prince."

It sounded like a far more promising life than being a pirate whose days were always numbered.