Davis's talent was indeed impressive. In the original timeline, four years later, during the Continental Soul Master Tournament, at just twenty-four years of age, his soul power had already reached level forty-nine, only a single step away from becoming a Soul King.
But by then, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing had both consumed immortal-grade herbs; their strength and talent skyrocketed, and with Tang San leading the team, they eventually defeated Davis.
Even so, Davis's talent could not be denied—perhaps not enough to stand in the very first echelon of geniuses, but definitely within the second echelon at the very least.
However, in Oscar's eyes now, none of that mattered. Whether talent or current strength, he was already far beyond Davis.
Ignoring Davis's earlier mockery, Oscar and Dai Mubai followed Zhao Wuji out of the Star Dou Great Forest, heading straight toward Star Luo City.
Since Davis had appeared in the forest, that meant only Zhu Zhuyun—Davis's fiancée—should remain in Star Luo City. If that were the case, rescuing Zhu Zhuqing would be far easier.
Of course, they had to act quickly while Davis was absent from Star Luo City. If he discovered Dai Mubai there, things would not end so easily. After all, Star Luo City was Davis's stronghold, and as the Crown Prince, the forces he could mobilize were far more than just a single Soul Sage.
When Zhao Wuji and the two youngsters left the forest and stopped to rest at a nearby town, Dai Mubai spotted two luxurious carriages at the town gate. There were no obvious markings, but he immediately recognized them as belonging to Davis from their fine details.
Only two Soul Ancestors stood guard by the carriages.
That night, under the cover of darkness, Oscar stealthily dismantled several small but crucial components of the carriages—things that looked insignificant but would cripple the carriages' movement. He even slid a few needle-like spikes into the cushions inside.
These small tricks wouldn't truly harm Davis, but they were more than enough to disgust him and delay his return.
When Dai Mubai learned what Oscar had done, he felt not only grateful but also deeply satisfied. After all, Davis had humiliated and suppressed him for years. To finally disgust Davis, even in such a small way, brought him immense relief.
Before leaving the palace and joining Shrek Academy, Dai Mubai's life in the royal family had been suffocating—every few days, Davis would find a way to taunt or suppress him.
After this little prank, the three hurried to Star Luo City. With Zhao Wuji pushing them to move at full speed, they cut the journey down from fifteen days to only ten.
Star Luo City—capital of one of the only two empires on the continent—was magnificent and awe-inspiring.
Its walls rose eighty meters high, built entirely from granite, over thirty meters thick. Just the scale of the city walls alone showed how much manpower and wealth had gone into the construction.
When Dai Mubai saw the city where he had lived for more than ten years, his heart stirred with emotion. Yet now, his only thought was to take Zhu Zhuqing away. Of course, he vowed that one day he would return—openly and gloriously.
Oscar, too, was astonished. Though the Douluo Continent had billions of people, with only about one hundred thousand soul masters, the grandeur of this city proved that this world had its own formidable foundations.
The soldiers on the walls and at the gates looked far more disciplined than those in the Heaven Dou Empire. Even as they maintained order, they treated the commoners with courtesy. Their military bearing was strict, their discipline flawless.
It was easy to see why the Star Luo Empire's military strength far surpassed that of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Dai Mubai wasn't worried about recognition. Though he was a prince, he had rarely left the palace, so most people had no idea what he looked like. His blond hair and heterochromatic eyes were striking, but with the sheer number of people on the continent, it wasn't enough to give him away.
The three slipped into the city easily. With Dai Mubai's descriptions, Zhao Wuji and Oscar quickly drew up a plan to rescue Zhu Zhuqing.
Like Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing wasn't strictly imprisoned; though pressured, she still had some freedom. If they could track her daily movements, they would find an opportunity.
After three days of observation, Dai Mubai finally located her—accompanied, however, by a Soul Ancestor-level bodyguard.
Luring Zhu Zhuqing and her escort into a secluded alley, Dai Mubai struck.
Oscar was already waiting in ambush. As soon as Dai Mubai pulled Zhu Zhuqing aside and fled with her—using Oscar's Swift Wind Rain Swallow Sausage—Oscar blocked the escort.
The escort immediately realized something was wrong. Four soul rings rose—two yellow and two purple—his martial soul, Netherworld Civet Cat, manifesting.
"Boy, what are you doing with the young miss? Let me warn you, our Third Miss is the fiancée of the Third Prince. If you dare lay a hand on the Duke's household, you'll meet a miserable end!" the guard barked.
Oscar grinned wickedly. "Of course I know. But I serve the Crown Prince. With His Highness's standing before the Emperor, do you really think a runaway Third Prince still has a chance?"
He chuckled, "Either way, your young miss won't be going back. Why not join us instead? Switch allegiance to the Crown Prince, and I guarantee you won't be treated poorly."
The guard frowned, "Do you understand the consequences of harming the Third Miss?"
Oscar smirked. "Why do you think the Crown Prince dares to act now?"
Realizing there was no negotiating, the guard's soul power flared. His body blurred into shadow and pounced—using his fourth soul skill, Nether Flash, a short-range teleportation ability.
But Oscar had already prepared. As soon as he sensed the surge of soul power, he summoned his Sky Jade Sword, his three rings flashing briefly. Sword in his left hand, a sausage hidden in his right, he braced himself.
The guard's claws clashed with the jade sword—yet instead of forcing Oscar back, he himself felt sharp pain radiating from his claws!
To his shock, this mere three-ring Soul Elder resisted his surprise attack without even using a soul skill.
Oscar's sword suddenly danced, pressing forward with ferocious swordplay. Every swing carried a cutting sword aura, forcing the guard into defense.
The guard was bewildered. How could a level-45 Soul Ancestor be forced back by a level-37 or 38 youth?
What he didn't know was that Oscar's physique was already close to Soul Emperor level. The jade sword was no martial soul, but an evolved external spirit bone, boosting his attack and strength by fifty percent.
With such overwhelming physical power, augmented by sword intent, Oscar completely outmatched him.
Sword light surged.
"Frost Moon Sword Technique, Third Form—Frost Moon Bloom!"
The guard roared, unleashing his own full strength:
"Third Soul Skill—Nether Slash!"
Their attacks clashed. But Oscar, seeing Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing had already fled, had no reason to drag this out.
He sneered, his jade sword glowing icy blue. "You've done your duty, but since you won't switch sides, offending you is inevitable."
The blade shimmered with frost.
"Twin Frost Moon Sword Technique, Fifth Form—Frozen Three Feet!"
The guard, drained from his earlier technique, was too slow to evade. His arms froze instantly upon contact, ice spreading rapidly across his body.
In less than five seconds, he was sealed into an ice sculpture.
Oscar, however, did not kill him. He shifted his sword to fiery red, carving a small hole at the guard's nose and mouth so he could still breathe.
Though alive, the guard was completely incapacitated. Breaking free of the ice would take considerable time and effort, giving Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing the head start they needed.