Arrival in the Sea Region, the Entire Army Attacks!

After several hours of full-speed travel, a distinct dark-blue outline finally emerged at the end of the vast sea.

A gigantic island lay alone in the depths of the sea, vast in territory and quietly situated amid the azure waters. Its mountains rose and fell in succession, its vegetation was lush and verdant, and the forests were steeped in the dense, weighty aura of soul beasts. A primitive, untamed atmosphere rushed forth, making it obvious at a glance that this was a natural secret realm untouched by human feet.

To avoid being ambushed upon landing rashly, the three warships gradually slowed and eventually came to a steady stop two nautical miles from the island, maintaining a safe distance under guard.

Shen Ye landed steadily upon the deck of the flagship, his expression solemn as he bowed and delivered a precise report of all the reconnaissance information to Qian Xunzong:

"Master, according to reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the island ahead is vast and rich in spiritual energy, making it exceptionally suitable for soul beasts to breed and inhabit. Numerous soul beast clans live on the island, and their overall strength cannot be underestimated.

"Three top-tier soul beast clans occupy the island: the Coldwater Demon Wolf Tribe, the Tidal Spirit Ape Tribe, and the Deluge Giant Crocodile Tribe. The three clans have divided the territory among themselves, each controlling one region and jointly ruling the entire island."

"The Coldwater Demon Wolves occupy the northern mountains. They are swift and excel at encirclement and sneak attacks. Their ice-attribute soul skills are bone-chilling, and their mobility is extremely strong;

"The Tidal Spirit Apes occupy the cold forest at the island's center. They possess powerful physiques and immense strength, while their movements are agile and unpredictable. They are proficient in all kinds of water-element techniques and boast outstanding long-range suppression capabilities;

"The Deluge Giant Crocodiles inhabit the island's coastal mudflats and nearby waters. They are rare amphibious soul beasts, capable in both offense and defense. Their hides are thick, their vitality tenacious, and their ferocity is the most violent of all."

"The leaders of all three clans possess cultivation equivalent to sixty to seventy thousand years. They are formidable in battle and deeply established, each commanding a faction of its own.

"All the various soul beasts on the island combined number nearly three thousand. The proportion of high-level soul beasts is not particularly large, but this is an excellent foundation for guarding the sea region."

Within the Cloudstep Light-Carriage, Qian Xunzong lounged lazily against a soft couch. Xiaojing, the obedient and gentle Jade Balance Xiejing Beast, rested in his arms as his fingertips lightly stroked the little creature's soft, fluffy fur. His expression remained calm and relaxed. Even after hearing of the island's many dangers, not a ripple stirred in his eyes. He remained composed and unruffled.

After listening to Shen Ye's detailed report, he merely nodded faintly. His tone was casual, yet carried an absolute authority that allowed no objection.

"Now that we understand their situation, there is no need to wait any longer. Three hundred Judgment Knights, deploy in full and press toward the island."

Military orders were like mountains: once given, they were carried out immediately. No one dared hesitate in the slightest. Brilliant golden light suddenly burst across the decks of the three warships as all three hundred Judgment Knights activated their martial souls. Pure, vast Light Soul Power surged into the sky, shining brilliantly and intimidating all directions.

A pair of gilded wings unfurled behind every knight. Streams of light swirled around the wings, sacred and solemn, while surging Light Soul Power swept across the entire sea.

Buzzz—

A sharp, piercing howl tore through the heavens as three hundred golden figures rose into the air simultaneously. Holding Holy Light Longspears, their wings gave a light beat, and they shot forward like meteors chasing the moon, diving toward the entire island in an overwhelming wave.

Every one of them possessed Soul Sage cultivation. Every one wielded sacred-attribute Soul Power. The three hundred formed a flawless killing formation, balanced in offense and defense. Their frigid killing intent firmly suppressed the whole island, sending countless soul beasts within it trembling in fear.

At the same time, Kong Deming once again operated the warships' weapon systems. Every Fixed-Mount Soul Cannon aboard the three ships began charging at full power, their muzzles turning to precisely lock onto the core settlements of the island's three soul beast clans.

Level-six and level-seven Soul Cannons roared simultaneously, their dense barrage pouring down like a meteor shower and accurately blanketing the mountain forests.

Cannon fire thundered, and golden radiance pierced the sky. The once tranquil, primitive island instantly descended into chaos. Countless soul beasts sleeping in the forests were jolted awake by the sudden terrifying assault. They fled in panic and fought back desperately.

The Coldwater Demon Wolves' icy blades, the Tidal Spirit Apes' towering waves, and the Deluge Giant Crocodiles' muddy torrents—soul skills of every attribute surged into the sky and layered together in resistance. Yet before the absolute might of the Judgment Knights' Holy Light Longspears and the top-grade Soul Cannon bombardment, all resistance was pale and powerless, unable to withstand a single blow.

Soul beasts fell in swathes, their bodies shattered by cannon fire or pierced through by Holy Light Longspears. Their agonized howls echoed through the mountains and forests, warm beast blood soaking into the ground. In an instant, the serene wilderness became a brutal battlefield of slaughter.

Witnessing once more the terrifying might of Soul Cannons striking land and sweeping away entire clans, Gui Mei still could not hide the shock in his heart. He sighed softly.

"Capable of fighting on sea and land, killing from both near and far... If such soul-tool heavy weaponry were used in the offense and defense of cities on the continent, it would be enough to rewrite the entire continent's military landscape."

Yue Guan nodded in agreement, his expression grave. "No wonder the Young Master wanted Shopkeeper Shen and Lord He to fully support Master Kong's development of Soul Tools. The strategic value of these things far exceeds that of ordinary soul master legions!"

On the warship's deck, Qian Xunzong still lay half-reclined upon the couch, looking relaxed and content. He quietly listened to the unending thunder of cannon fire and the beasts' mournful roars, sensing the killing intent that filled the sky. Xiaojing gently nuzzled his palm in his arms. The peaceful leisure around him stood in the starkest contrast to the brutal battlefield below.

Gui Mei and Yue Guan stood quietly nearby, watching corpses blanket the island and blood flow like rivers. As they watched countless lives perish one after another, a trace of pity and reluctance quietly arose in their hearts.

Yue Guan frowned slightly and softly tried to dissuade him. "Young Master, isn't this endless slaughter too cruel? Most of the soul beasts on the island have always lived here. Wiping them all out seems overly harsh."

Gui Mei also added at the right moment, his tone full of emotion. "Yes, Young Master. There are more than two thousand soul beasts. Killing them all would truly be a pity. All things possess spirit. Exterminating them so completely is indeed rather tragic."

Hearing them, Qian Xunzong raised his eyes slightly. A faint smile curved his lips, and his gaze was clear and lucid, yet concealed the coldness of one who had seen through the laws of the world.

"Cruel? On the Douluo Continent, the strong have always devoured the weak, and only the fit survive. That is the sole law of survival in this world. Those not of our kind are bound to harbor different intentions.

"These island soul beasts are wild and unruly, beyond civilizing. Who can say they will not slaughter fishermen at sea or disrupt the peace of this region?"

"Mercy must be shown selectively, and kindness must have an edge. I have decided to claim this island and this sea region for myself, so I cannot tolerate the slightest unstable threat.

"They will either submit and become forces under my command, guarding this territory, or they will die and vanish completely. There is no third choice."

His words rang out with force, clear and direct, fully revealing the decisiveness and long-term vision of one in power.

Gui Mei and Yue Guan exchanged a glance, understanding dawning in their hearts. Just as they were about to say no more and quietly observe the battle, Qian Xunzong suddenly changed his tone. The cold killing intent on his face faded, replaced by an expression of sudden realization.

"Still, you two have reminded me of something." Qian Xunzong slapped his thigh and looked at the cannon fire continuously being expended below, his face full of heartache.

"If I can subdue them for my own use, why insist on exterminating them? My Soul Cannon Shells and the Knight Corps' combat power are all valuable resources. This is all money!!!!

"Wasting it on meaningless slaughter like this is truly extravagant!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately gave an order in a deep voice, his words resounding across the battlefield. "Cease fire across the army! The Knight Corps is to suspend its offensive. Kong Deming, shut down all Soul Cannons and halt all killing!"

The order spread across the battlefield in an instant and was carried out with perfect efficiency. The golden knights diving through the sky immediately halted in midair, reining in their attacks and hovering on standby. The ceaseless cannon fire abruptly fell silent, and the smoke drifting through the sky slowly dispersed. The brutal fighting on the island came to an immediate standstill.

The entire mountain forest fell into an eerie silence. Only the wreckage and corpses covering the ground remained. More than a thousand surviving soul beasts trembled and huddled in corners. All three clans were covered in wounds, their auras weak. They no longer possessed even a trace of their former dominance and ferocity as rulers of the island, and they looked fearfully toward the human experts in the sky.

"Shen Ye, take Mr. Mo and Ma Jinyan. The three of you will immediately go to the territories of the three clans and deliver a message."

Qian Xunzong's indifferent gaze swept across the entire island as his voice spread clearly in every direction.

"Tell all the soul beasts that any who are willing to submit may preserve their clans' lives and continue their bloodlines. From this day onward, they will guard this sea region, receive my protection, and be nourished by my resources. Any who stubbornly resist and refuse to submit will be exterminated by the entire army at once, leaving neither fowl nor dog alive!"

"Yes!" The three men bowed to accept the order. With a flash, they became three afterimages and descended into the settlements of the island's three clans in the blink of an eye. They relayed Qian Xunzong's decree one by one, intimidating the fearful and unsettled soul beasts.

Soul beasts with cultivation exceeding fifty thousand years already possessed considerable intelligence, nearly comparable to humans. Though they could not speak human language, they could understand most meanings!!

When faced with the choice between life and death, one could best see a living being's true nature and distinguish a clan's backbone. The Coldwater Demon Wolf Tribe was proud and fierce by nature, wild and difficult to tame. Relying on their speed and skill in group combat, they still refused to kneel and submit despite suffering heavy losses and grave damage to their strength. The entire clan howled without end, with remnants of battle intent still burning within them. They swore they would rather die than submit to humans;

The Tidal Spirit Ape Tribe was intelligent yet inherently arrogant. They considered themselves naturally gifted and favored by heaven, disdaining to become human vassals. They decisively rejected surrender and assumed a stance of fighting to the death.

Only the Deluge Giant Crocodile Tribe, after enduring the crushing offensive of the previous cannon barrage and the Knight Corps, had fully recognized the vast difference in strength between the two sides.

Their leader assessed the situation and knew that continued resistance meant certain death. To preserve the clan's bloodline and protect his tribesmen, he decisively took the lead in bowing down. He led his entire clan in willingly submitting to Qian Xunzong, pledging to guard the sea region and never rebel.

Upon hearing the results, Qian Xunzong showed neither joy nor sorrow. His expression remained calm as he issued an even-toned command.

"Since they do not know what is good for them, wipe them out completely. Leave no threat of resistance behind."

The halted assault resumed. This time, the campaign was more precise and more ruthless.

The three hundred Judgment Knights divided their duties and carried out a precise encirclement, coordinating with the warships' remaining soul-tool firepower to target and eradicate the two clans that had refused surrender. Having lost their chance to negotiate, the Coldwater Demon Wolves and Tidal Spirit Apes fought back desperately in their final extremity, slaughtering wildly. Yet the disparity in strength was simply too great, and they were ultimately powerless to reverse the situation.

Under the absolute crushing force of the Soul Sage legion and top-tier soul-tool weapons, the two clans retreated again and again until nearly all were dead or wounded. In the end, they were utterly destroyed, with not a single beast left alive.