What the soldiers of the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment, who were locked in battle, did not expect was that inside the southern section of the city walls, more than twenty others were quietly moving toward the central castle.
They were none other than the group led by Yao Yang, consisting of over twenty soldiers from the Royal Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment.
Although these soldiers' soul power cultivation was only around the fiftieth rank, by relying on the surrounding stone houses and the cover of darkness, coupled with Yao Yang's fifth soul skill that allowed him to conceal his presence, they were able to approach the castle undetected with ease.
This was the peculiarity of spiritual-type soul masters. Without a specialized soul tool that could probe spiritual power, even a Soul Douluo-level expert would find it difficult to sense anything amiss.
Yao Yang observed the battle in the sky between Wang Xiao and Hai Xiao, then cast a glance at Qiu Ying, who was entangled by four or five Soul Emperors from the Royal Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment.
Everything was proceeding just as planned.
"The ones currently fighting appear to be the majority of the elite from the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment. Those left to guard the castle shouldn't be many. Once we charge into the castle, follow the battle plan we set earlier: eliminate the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment forces inside the castle as quickly as possible. After rescuing Xu Zihuang, we'll use this vantage point to unleash the stationary soul-guided cannons for fire coverage, annihilating the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment."
Xu Zihuang's identity was far too sensitive. There was no way they could allow news from here to leak out, even if it meant paying a heavy price.
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.
Although Yao Yang wasn't a member of the Royal Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment, his formidable strength had already convinced them. Besides, this was originally Wang Xiao's command.
At the front of the castle, more than ten soldiers from the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment kept their nerves taut, their eyes fixed on the battlefield near the eastern port, ready to provide support at any time.
The squad leader at the front glanced at the staggering casualties on their side and subconsciously swallowed hard.
He found it hard to believe that a mere twenty or so soldiers from the Royal Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment could possess such terrifying combat power. If the regiment were at full strength, it truly might spell their complete destruction.
Just as countless thoughts surged through his mind, his body suddenly stiffened, and his gaze snapped toward the southeast side of the castle.
"Enem—…"
Before he could finish the word, his pupils lost focus, and his knees buckled as he collapsed to the ground.
More than twenty figures gradually revealed themselves around the castle's front garden. At the forefront, Yao Yang frowned slightly as the purple light of his third soul ring shone brightly beside him.
He couldn't quite understand how this squad leader, whose soul power cultivation was barely over the fiftieth rank and who couldn't even release spiritual power externally, had been able to sense their presence.
What he didn't know was that this squad leader merely possessed a martial soul with a special trait, one that was more sensitive to temperature changes in the surroundings. No matter how strong one's spiritual power was, it couldn't completely mask the warmth of the human body.
The thought flashed through Yao Yang's mind, but he didn't dwell on it.
He gave a subtle signal to the others behind him and then led the charge into the first-floor hall of the castle.
The spacious hall on the first floor, illuminated by the glow of soul tools, glittered with splendor and magnificence. Yet none of them had the leisure to admire it.
After scanning the hall and confirming the direction, the group went straight up the stairs.
The sound of dense footsteps echoed endlessly, throwing the entire castle into instant chaos.
The situation at the main entrance would soon be discovered, so there was no longer any need to remain concealed. Their top priority now was to rescue Xu Zihuang as quickly as possible.
Before they even reached the second floor, the crisp sound of footsteps and clashing armor grew rapidly closer.
"You take them to the other floors. Leave this place to us!" said an old man with white hair, who had been just half a step behind Yao Yang. A glimmer of brilliance flashed in his clouded eyes as he led five men past the group.
Two yellow, two purple, and one black—five soul rings suddenly rose from beneath him, his entire body radiating a vivid emerald-green soul power.
At the same time he spoke, his fifth black soul ring flared brilliantly. Countless verdant bamboo swords erupted from the floor at the stairway entrance, piercing into the granite ceiling above and leaving the surrounding walls riddled with chaotic cracks.
Several West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment soldiers, who had just rushed over, were instantly impaled, blood and shattered organs spurting forth.
"Enemy attack!" The seven or eight others who narrowly escaped froze, their pupils contracting as they hurried to release their martial souls and deploy various soul tools.
Yao Yang nodded silently, bypassed the old man, and led the rest of the group onward toward the third floor.
Similar encounters occurred on both the third and fourth floors. But the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment's remaining forces inside the castle were far too few to stop them. After eliminating the defenders, the group carefully searched every floor for traces of Xu Zihuang.
"Elder Yu, all the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment soldiers on the second floor have been wiped out." A young man clad in the standard deep-purple armor of the Royal Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment approached the panting old man with great respect.
The man addressed as Elder Yu was precisely the one who had stepped forward earlier to intercept most of the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment soldiers on the second floor.
"Age really does catch up with you. If this old man were still young, killing this rabble wouldn't have left me so exhausted." Elder Yu's wrinkled face flushed red as he discreetly pressed a hand to the scratch on his abdomen, using the corner of his eye to glance behind him.
"Almost lost my dignity there. The image I've worked so hard to build—I can't let it collapse like this."
When he noticed the young man still standing behind him without moving, Elder Yu snapped irritably: "Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and look for the young master!"
With that, he himself strode quickly down the corridor, searching carefully.
"Click—"
The door at the end of the second-floor corridor suddenly opened, making everyone searching for Xu Zihuang tense up instantly. They hurried to gather behind Elder Yu, raising their soul tools to aim at the source.
But to their surprise, it wasn't West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment soldiers who emerged from the room—it was ten strikingly beautiful young women.
Seeing Elder Yu and the others ready to attack at the slightest provocation, the girls instinctively tightened their interlinked arms.
Only the golden-haired girl at the front, with an air of cold elegance, noticed the deep-purple dragon-patterned armor on Elder Yu and the others. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she clenched her delicate fist.
"As expected, the Royal Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment."
"Ziyue—" A blue-haired girl with an alluring figure tugged nervously at Yin Ziyue's arm. Though they were all born into noble families, they had been pampered since childhood. Confronted with the ominous aura radiating from the barrels of soul cannons, it was natural for fear to creep into their hearts.
Yin Ziyue offered a flawless smile and gently stroked the blue-haired girl's arm in reassurance. "Don't worry, it's fine."
Yet as she spoke, a faint, almost undetectable cold glint flashed deep within her eyes.
She then raised her head to look at Elder Yu, her demeanor refined and courteous as she spoke softly: "We have nothing to do with the West Sea Soul Engineer Regiment. We were only chosen today by His Highness the Prince. Could you perhaps allow us to meet His Highness later?"
The group cast questioning glances toward Elder Yu.
Elder Yu hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked forward to stand before Yin Ziyue and the others. With a kind smile, he said: "This old man will convey your request. But before that, please return to your room and rest for now."
Though his expression appeared gentle, the tone of his words left no room for refusal.
"As it should be." Yin Ziyue gave Elder Yu a deep look, then led the group of girls back into the room.
Someone couldn't help but lower his voice and remind Elder Yu: "Elder Yu, didn't the regiment commander say before—leave no survivors?"
"All decisions rest with the young master. Do you still need me to teach you this?" Elder Yu replied lightly, his gaze carrying a hint of warning as it fell upon the ten girls seated on the room's sofa.
"You two, stand guard here. The rest, come with me to continue searching for the young master."