Night Raid

"Alright, I get it. You're amazing!"

Xu Linjiu lifted his teacup and took a sip, his gaze still fixed on the residence across the street.

"But the problem is, even if the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan doesn't know what lies beneath that cold spring, they definitely won't be foolish enough to think it's something insignificant."

Setting the teacup back on the table, Xu Linjiu spread his right hand, and his Pokédex Martial Soul appeared automatically.

"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is one of the Upper Three Sects, after all. There should be at least one Soul Sage stationed here, and there might even be some old fellow at the Soul Douluo level."

Xu Linjiu extended a hand and lightly tapped the Pokédex Martial Soul.

The hidden black fifth soul ring beneath his feet glimmered faintly, and an invisible wave of psychic energy spread outward from him.

It was the second soul skill of his million-year soul ring—[Psychic Detection]!

The psychic wave silently swept through the area, and a three-dimensional map of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's grounds gradually took shape on the Pokédex screen.

"Tsk, this place is pretty big." Skydream Iceworm also leaned closer to the Psychic Detection display, sharing Xu Linjiu's vision.

"There's someone with a very strong soul power fluctuation in that tower. Judging by its intensity, he's at least a Soul Sage."

Xu Linjiu's Psychic Detection swept across the tallest stone tower in the center of the grounds, and a striking red dot immediately appeared on the Pokédex screen.

"There are two more in the rear courtyard: one Soul Emperor and one Soul Sage. That makes three high-level Soul Masters in total, plus more than a dozen young disciples near the training grounds. Forcing our way in is definitely out of the question."

"Then what do we do?" Skydream Iceworm asked.

"We can only wait until nightfall."

Xu Linjiu withdrew his Psychic Detection and picked up his teacup again. "The only thing we need to confirm now is the exact location of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Cave. How close do we need to get for you to pinpoint the entrance?"

"Within five hundred meters, I can give you its exact location."

Skydream Iceworm puffed out his round little chest. "Beyond five hundred meters, I can only sense the general direction. From this distance, I can only tell that the aura is beneath the grounds. We'll have to get closer to find the exact entrance."

"That's enough."

Xu Linjiu nodded. "We'll go in tonight. You find the entrance, and I'll scout the way."

Night fell.

The residents of Coldstone City had no nightlife to speak of, and the streets were already empty of pedestrians.

Xu Linjiu rose from the window and stretched his limbs a little.

He removed the outer clothes he had worn during the day, wrapped himself in Skydream Iceworm's shed skin, then put on a layer of dark black nightwear before silently climbing out through the inn's rear window.

Xu Linjiu moved swiftly along the shadows at the side of the street. After a few flashes, he had reached the outer wall of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's grounds.

"The patrol on the left just passed. The next shift will come around from the right."

Within his sea of consciousness, Skydream Iceworm watched the real-time three-dimensional image updating on the Pokédex and constantly guided Xu Linjiu.

"Understood!"

Xu Linjiu nodded and raised his right hand. Pitch-black soul power circulated as a black sphere of energy condensed in his palm, radiating a faintly eerie aura.

[Xu Linjiu used Shadow Ball!]

[Xu Linjiu activated Protean!]

[Xu Linjiu's type became Ghost!]

As his type changed, Xu Linjiu's aura became elusive and erratic.

The boost from the Ghost type made his body more than half as light as usual. He seemed to melt into the night like a shadow, even his breathing becoming nearly imperceptible.

"Alright, this should do it!"

After confirming that it was safe, Xu Linjiu dispersed the soul power sustaining [Shadow Ball]. Then he pushed off the wall and vaulted directly over it.

"Skydream! Can you sense the exact location?"

"Not yet. Head farther toward the core area."

The night was deep. Unless a psychic-type Soul Master continuously searched with Inner Focus, those ordinary disciples had no way of detecting Xu Linjiu's concealed presence using nothing but torches and lanterns.

With [Psychic Detection], Xu Linjiu easily avoided the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's patrols and smoothly reached the core area of the residence.

"What about now, Skydream?"

Skydream Iceworm's spiritual body flew out from Xu Linjiu's body. It closed its eyes and concentrated for a moment.

"I've got it!"

Skydream Iceworm opened its eyes, excitement appearing on its face before quickly fading away.

"I found it, but someone's guarding it—the Soul Emperor from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

"That figures."

Xu Linjiu nodded slightly. "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan aren't idiots. They may not know the secret of that cold spring, but the chill alone would tell them it's no ordinary thing."

"Then what do we do?"

Hovering in midair, Skydream Iceworm made a throat-slitting gesture with its tiny stubby hands. "How about we just kill him?"

"No need. It'd be difficult for me to instantly kill a Soul Emperor with a beast martial soul in one strike. If he manages to send out a distress signal, things will get troublesome."

Xu Linjiu shook his head. "Besides, I have a better method."

Making his way deeper into the residence, Xu Linjiu soon found the courtyard containing his target.

[Unknown Pokémon]

[Type: Electric, Dragon]

[Level: Lv.64]

[Ability: Unable to detect]

[Skills: Unable to detect]

This was a side courtyard of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. It was not large, yet a Soul Emperor was stationed here to guard it. No matter how one looked at it, it was not an ordinary place.

Xu Linjiu hid in the darkness and quietly observed the surroundings.

Skydream Iceworm floated beside him, wearing an expression that said, Let's see what you can do.

After confirming there was no danger, a faint gleam appeared in Xu Linjiu's eyes. Rings of invisible psychic ripples launched a sneak attack at the Soul Emperor's back.

"Who goes there?!"

The Soul Emperor sensed something strange and immediately stood up to investigate.

But before he could finish speaking, a wave of drowsiness suddenly washed over him. His vision went black, and he collapsed, falling into a deep sleep.

Seeing this, Skydream Iceworm could not help crying out, "He fell asleep? Not bad! Why didn't you use this move sooner?"

Seeing the Soul Emperor asleep, Xu Linjiu breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out from the shadows.

"[Hypnosis] has too much of a wind-up. High-level Soul Masters can easily react to it. If this hadn't been a sneak attack, it might not have worked."

As he spoke, Xu Linjiu walked over to the Soul Emperor and found the key to the side courtyard on him.

"Alright, time to go in and take a look."

The key slid into the lock. The moment he pushed open the courtyard gate, a faint chill rushed toward him.

"This should be the place."

He turned back, dragged the sleeping Soul Emperor into the courtyard and tied him up, then closed the gate.

When he turned around again, Skydream Iceworm had already flown to the other side of the courtyard.

"Here, here!"

There was a water well beside Skydream Iceworm, and waves of cold air were rising from it.

Yet it was strange—the cold air was freezing, but the well water showed no signs of icing over.

"This is it?"

Xu Linjiu leaned over the mouth of the well and looked down, then turned to ask Skydream Iceworm beside him.

"Relax! It feels exactly the same as the ice cave I was in back then!"

Skydream Iceworm took a deep breath, instantly looking intoxicated. "Come on, come on, let's hurry in and take a look!"

"Wait."