Escaped the Wolf Den, Entered the Tiger's Lair

"Marquis, I took quite a bit of your money, but that was the compensation I deserved. You don't seriously think a Soul Sage like me followed you around every day because of your personal charm, do you?" Mad Dragon said matter-of-factly. He then glanced at Uchiha Huan and added righteously, "Besides, I never said I'd fight Spirit Hall for the sake of someone like you, who consorts with Fallen Soul Masters."

Uchiha Huan did not care how much truth there was in Mad Dragon's words. At the very least, Mad Dragon did not dare attack him.

Of course, his disgust toward Fallen Soul Masters might have been genuine as well.

After all, Spirit Hall's propaganda against Fallen Soul Masters had been quite successful.

Uchiha Huan strolled over to the seat of honor, dragged Marquis Lian down from in front of the chair, tossed him onto the floor, and took the seat himself.

"Where is your son hiding now?"

Marquis Lian roared, "I am a noble of the Star Luo Empire! You have no right to deal with me!!"

Uchiha Huan lifted his foot, stepped on Marquis Lian's face, and ground his sole against it.

"No. As long as someone is connected to Fallen Soul Masters, Spirit Hall has the authority to deal with them. Not just you—even the entire Layan Family is within my authority." Uchiha Huan spoke indifferently. "Now tell me, do you want that damned son of yours, or the entire Layan Family?"

"This is slander! Slander!!"

Seeing how stubborn Marquis Lian was, Uchiha Huan looked up at Mad Dragon. "Bring all his grandsons and granddaughters here."

Mad Dragon had no choice. He did not actually want to betray his employer.

But he had already made his choice.

If he hesitated over something like this, Uchiha Huan might very well pin the charge of colluding with Fallen Soul Masters on him.

When all those grandsons and granddaughters were dragged into the front hall, Marquis Lian finally became afraid.

"At the beginning of every month, I deliver supplies to them at South Mountain Pass. As for where they're hiding, I don't know."

"Them?"

The intelligence had said there were two Fallen Soul Masters at the Soul King level, but Uchiha Huan could tell from Marquis Lian's words that there seemed to be more than just two of them.

He had just used Genjutsu on Marquis Lian. Now that the man was on guard, it would not work again anytime soon.

Genjutsu was, in the end, a technique meant to catch people off guard. Once someone became wary, its effectiveness dropped drastically.

Moreover, Uchiha Huan's eyes had only Straight Tomoe. His Genjutsu could only bully "children."

If he had Curved Tomoe eyes, Uchiha Huan would not have bothered playing interrogation games with him.

"Domiler, surround the entire marquis's residence. Don't let even an ant leave. Whoever dares take a single step out of the estate, kill without mercy," Uchiha Huan said.

"Ah? Y-yes..." Domiler hurriedly answered.

Star Luo City, the Zhu Family estate—

A guard knelt on one knee before Zhu Zhuyun.

"Miss, the second young lady has run away again."

"Which route did she choose this time?" Zhu Zhuyun asked.

"The Star Luo Mountain Range."

"That area is unsettled. Send people to follow her." Zhu Zhuyun said, "That little girl... can't she plan a proper route for once?"

Both Zhu Zhuyun and her younger sister, Zhu Zhuqing, had awakened the Zhu Family's Martial Soul, the Hell Spirit Cat.

Through the Martial Soul Fusion Skill produced by the resonance between the Hell Spirit Cat and the Evil-Eyed White Tiger Martial Soul of the imperial Dai Family, the empress of every generation had to be a woman of the main Zhu Family line.

In this generation, Zhu Zhuyun and Zhu Zhuqing had both been betrothed to princes: the eldest prince, Dai Weisi, and the second prince, Dai Mubai, respectively.

Every generation of heirs in the imperial Dai Family had to earn the right to ascend the supreme throne through bloody conflict.

And as the princes' fiancées, they had been passively drawn into this battle for the throne.

Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun were six years older than Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, which meant there was an entire major realm separating them in their struggle.

As a result, Dai Weisi held an almost absolute advantage and had gathered the support of a large number of nobles and ministers under his banner.

Unable to see any hope of victory, Dai Mubai had fled the Star Luo Empire several years ago.

Zhu Zhuyun was unwilling to harm her younger sister, so she had been looking for opportunities to let Zhu Zhuqing go.

But her younger sister truly was not very clever—or perhaps she was simply too young. Even when Zhu Zhuyun deliberately went easy on her, Zhu Zhuqing still failed every time she tried to escape.

Zhu Zhuyun had already lost count of how many times her sister had run away.

Meanwhile, nine-year-old Zhu Zhuqing was darting through the mountain forest.

This was not her first escape. In fact, she had been trying to flee Star Luo City and the Zhu Family ever since she was six years old.

She did not know that every one of her escape plans, including this one, had been seen through by her sister.

After resting beneath a tree for fifteen minutes, she took out some food and water from her Storage Soul Tool.

Glancing back at the road she had come from, Zhu Zhuqing murmured, "This time... this time, I won't be caught again!"

Zhu Zhuqing was so confident because she had just obtained her second Spirit Ring.

Suddenly, Zhu Zhuqing heard footsteps nearby.

She immediately concealed her presence and hid in the grass.

Then Zhu Zhuqing saw several Soul Masters leading a group of ordinary people up the mountain.

The moment she saw those Soul Masters, an inexplicable chill ran down Zhu Zhuqing's spine.

Fallen Soul Masters! Zhu Zhuqing's pupils contracted slightly.

Thanks to Spirit Hall's propaganda, Zhu Zhuqing had been able to recognize Fallen Soul Masters so quickly.

Of course, it was also because of how those Soul Masters were dressed.

What ordinary person would dress in such a ghostly, sinister manner?

And those ordinary people had clearly been coerced and abducted by them.

Fortunately, these Fallen Soul Masters were not very high-level, and the Hell Spirit Cat's concealment ability was exceptionally good, so Zhu Zhuqing had not been discovered.

Suddenly, a trace of green energy appeared above Zhu Zhuqing's head.

Feeling a sinister aura above her, Zhu Zhuqing looked up and was instantly terrified out of her wits.

It was a skull burning with green flames.

At that moment, one of the Fallen Soul Masters suddenly shouted, "Someone!"

Zhu Zhuqing immediately realized that she had been exposed.

Martial Soul Possession! A pair of cat ears appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's head, and claws emerged from her hands.

First Soul Skill: Hell Stab! Zhu Zhuqing used her Soul Skill not to attack, but to flee.

Her first Soul Skill could double her speed.

But the skull wreathed in green flames struck her back at even greater speed.

Zhu Zhuqing was sent flying, coughing up blood.

"Heh heh... what a pretty little girl. She's got such a nice figure at such a young age." The Fallen Soul Master with the Skull Martial Soul walked up to Zhu Zhuqing and used his sharp fingertips to lift her chin.

Another Fallen Soul Master came over to his companion's side and licked his lips. "Before she becomes blood food, she can help us relax a little."

Zhu Zhuqing no longer had the strength to fight. Agonizing pain came from her back, and despair filled her heart.