Perhaps he was being overly cautious, but Lin Xiao couldn't shake the feeling that Ju Zi visit wasn't merely to express gratitude but to probe him.
Throughout the journey, Xu Tianran's attitude toward the members of the Holy Spirit Church differed from how he treated those in his own entourage, and with Ju Zi keen perception, she likely noticed this. The others from the Holy Spirit Church all had cultivation levels above nine rings, while Lin Xiao's cultivation was unremarkable, which might have been why Ju Zi sought him out.
It was unclear whether she was acting on Xu Tianran's orders or had come on her own initiative.
If it was Xu Tianran, Lin Xiao wouldn't be surprised. Though he hadn't spoken much during the trip, he could feel Xu Tianran's glances directed at him.
But if Ju Zi had come on her own, it suggested she had also noticed Xu Tianran's slightly different attitude toward him. Perhaps she wanted to learn more about Xu Tianran through him, or maybe she was eager to prove her worth by gathering information from him to report back to Xu Tianran. In any case, Ju Zi intentions were not simple.
Her only flaw was likely her lack of experience, which made her true motives too obvious, her probing gaze too apparent. But for a twelve-year-old girl to have such thoughts was already quite terrifying.
If she spent some time by Xu Tianran's side and learned the ways of the palace, the things she could accomplish would likely be far less straightforward.
As expected of someone who would later influence the entire Sun Moon Empire. Previously, Lin Xiao couldn't fully reconcile the person from his memories with the young girl before him, but now, he could see traces of her future self.
Lin Xiao's gaze wasn't harsh, but for some reason, Ju Zi felt a chilling sense of death in his calm eyes. After hesitating for a moment, she turned and left.
Interrupted by Ju Zi visit, Lin Xiao didn't continue meditating. He summoned his martial soul, staring at the stamen of Higanbana, slightly lost in thought as he watched the restless remnant soul wandering within.
Night fell.
The Mingdou Mountain Range was quiet, disturbed only by the occasional sounds of patrolling teams passing through.
Formed by the collision of the Sun Moon Continent and the Douluo Continent, the Mingdou Mountain Range wasn't as vast as the Endless Mountain Range in the north. As the border between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire, it was a place where conflicts frequently erupted.
Thus, even at night, the Star Luo Empire's army remained vigilant, with patrol teams passing by at regular intervals.
Yet, under such tight defenses, a team of Sun Moon Empire soul engineers had stealthily approached the Star Luo Empire's camp stationed at the mountain's peak.
"Commander Liao, what is this?"
In Pingxing City, Xu Tianran stood with Liao Mengkai, looking at a soul tool screen with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.
"Your Highness, please observe. The light dots on the screen represent areas with soul power fluctuations, essentially indicating individual soul masters. The places where these soul masters are gathered are the Star Luo Empire's camps and hidden sentries, while the moving dots are their patrol teams."
"This is the latest detection soul tool developed by Mingde Hall, delivered straight from the capital. Though it's only a prototype, its effectiveness is already remarkable. Once we confirm its battlefield utility, all our armies can be equipped with it in the future."
Xu Tianran was momentarily speechless, feeling a sense of relief.
Fortunately, they had acted early. If this detection soul tool had been developed sooner, the army led by Xu Jing might have been detected by the capital's forces before even approaching the capital. Sneaking into the imperial palace unnoticed would have been impossible.
"Your Highness, tonight is both the first test of this detection soul tool's prowess and a critical step in seizing the high ground of the Mingdou Mountain Range. As the saying goes, 'In a battle for the mountains, one does not look up to their heights.' Once we control the high ground, whether we attack or defend in the future will be our army's decision."
Unaware of Xu Tianran's thoughts, Liao Mengkai looked at the soul tool screen with a hint of pride. As the commander of the Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Corps, he had always looked down on the Star Luo Empire's army. Tonight was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the power of soul tools.
Boom—
On the other side, in the Mingdou Mountain Range, Lin Xiao naturally didn't know about Liao Mengkai's tactics back in the city. He only saw a dazzling white light flash before his eyes, followed by a tremendous explosion. The entire mountain peak seemed to shake violently, as if it were being leveled.
As the soul tool cannon's attack landed on the camp of ordinary soldiers, a thick smell of blood assaulted his senses.
Zhongli Wu was right—when it came to death, the minor affairs within the church couldn't compare to war. The soul tool cannons fired by the soul engineer corps were far more powerful than the standard soul tools used at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.
With just one blast, countless severed limbs and body parts splattered onto the ground. Steaming blood spilled across the earth, still radiating heat, instantly staining the surrounding grass with mud and filth.
In an instant, countless groans filled Lin Xiao's ears. Looking up slightly, he could even see incomplete souls rising one by one, making the surrounding air feel colder.
Their deaths were not peaceful, and it caused the soul power within Lin Xiao's body to surge uncontrollably.
An officer beside him glanced at Lin Xiao.
He didn't know this person, whose figure was hidden beneath a cloak and whose face was concealed by a mask. But since Liao Mengkai had personally instructed him to bring this person along, he gave him a few extra glances.
"The first time on a battlefield is always like this. You'll get used to it with time."
"I'm fine," Lin Xiao said, taking a deep breath. He controlled the soul power coursing through his body, channeling it along his meridians into his dantian, then shook his head lightly.
"Good to know," the officer said, turning his gaze back to the battlefield. "Get ready. We're moving forward."
The Star Luo Empire's response was swift. Soon, shouts of battle erupted from the camp. Though caught off guard, unsure how the Sun Moon Empire had breached their defensive lines, they quickly organized a counterattack.
As various soul skills and soul tool lights lit up, the entire mountain peak was bathed in red. Broken organs littered the ground, and the smell of blood mixed with the stench of human remains filled the air. Lin Xiao's soul power surged again, breaking through once more.
"There are plenty who vomit their first time on the battlefield, and it's not uncommon for people to freeze in fear. But someone like you, breaking through in soul power in a situation like this, that's rare," the officer said, noticing the soul power fluctuations from Lin Xiao. Perhaps to ease Lin Xiao's tension, he tried to make conversation, but as he spoke, he sensed something off. His expression shifted, and he turned sharply to look at Lin Xiao.
"You—"
He started to speak but abruptly stopped.