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"You damn natives, how dare you be so arrogant!"
One of the Soul Douluo shouted angrily, "Release the princess immediately, or there won't even be a trace left of you."
"Oh, I'm so scared!" sneered the leader of the Spirit Hall team, feigning fear. He tightened his grip on Xu Huang's neck a bit more and continued coldly, "The raiders from Sun and Moon are all deserving of death. We pirates understand what it's like to see a city burned. If you want to take our land, then being killed is just what you deserve."
"Pirates?" another Soul Douluo said calmly, "With spirit rings like yours, you're pirates? More likely, you're spies from some sect or empire on the Douluo Continent."
The leader of the Spirit Hall team chuckled. "Oh yes, we're just pirates. Now, hand over anything of value. I won't ask a third time." Holding Xu Huang's throat with one hand, he pulled an eyepatch from his storage soul tool with the other and covered his right eye.
"Enough! We don't have time for your theatrics!" The last Soul Douluo's spirit energy surged so intensely that the air around him distorted and heated up. "Release the princess, or—"
"Or what?" the Spirit Hall team leader interrupted with a smile, tightening his grip further. Xu Huang's face turned red with strained blood flow, veins bulging. "You should be glad this one's a soul master, or she'd already be dead… Now, get us a boat big enough for seven people and let us go."
"Seven?"
The three Soul Douluo exchanged glances, realizing these individuals might not actually be on the same side. Looking closely, they could see five distinct groups among them. Could it be… seven factions?
"We want a boat too!"
"Same here."
"We'll need two boats, one for storage."
"We require the same."
The other four groups chimed in as well. Now that they had gathered the necessary intelligence, escaping became the primary goal.
The three Soul Douluo looked furious. In the Sun and Moon Empire, they were respected powerhouses—when had they ever been treated like this?
This was beyond insulting.
But with the princess in one group's hands, and Fu Hongchen, the genius of the Hongchen family who reached Soul King level by twenty, also at risk, they couldn't afford to take action.
"Are all people from the Douluo Continent so despicable?" a Soul Saint jeered. "I've heard you enjoy fights. Why not have a contest, then?"
"We're already in one," said the Spirit Hall leader with a layered meaning, leaving the Sun and Moon Empire officials bewildered.
One of the Soul Douluo suddenly had a realization and asked, "You're split into seven groups, with such clear boundaries and distinct teamwork—could it be… you're competing to see who captures our princess first?"
This comment set off a storm among the crew of the Moon Merchant Ship before anyone from the Spirit Hall team could confirm it.
This was a blatant insult, trampling on their dignity!
But some started wondering—if these people dared to behave like this, could it mean that the Empire's vanguard, or even the Emperor himself, had already…
"Impossible!"
"Absolutely not!"
One of the three Soul Douluo, an expert at level eighty-nine, glared furiously at the Spirit Hall team and focused his gaze on their leader. "Don't try to shake our resolve. Release the princess, or we'll show no mercy."
"No need for mercy. We never intended to be kind to you, anyway. After all, you're servants of the Sun and Moon Empire's Emperor." The Spirit Hall leader sneered, "Let us go, and your princess might survive. Otherwise, we all go down together, and at least I'll have a princess as my sacrifice. I'd say it's worth it!"
The Soul Douluo at level eighty-nine stared at her intently for a long moment. "Are you so eager to die? With spirit rings like that, reaching Title Douluo is only a matter of time."
"For the Spirit Hall, we are willing to give everything!" shouted all seven in unison. Their voices held a sacred conviction, burning like intense flames in their eyes.
Even Xu Huang, held captive, was momentarily taken aback and grew curious about the Spirit Hall. She turned to Elder Xu Long and said, "Elder Xu Long, let me go with them. Continuing to drag this out won't solve anything. I doubt they'd really harm me, considering I am the Sun and Moon Empire's princess. If something truly happened to me, there would be no turning back."
She added, "Besides, I want to find out what's become of my brother and the Sun and Moon army."
"Your Highness, you…" Xu Long hesitated, but eventually agreed. He addressed the Spirit Hall team leader, saying, "If the princess so much as loses a single hair, I swear I'll tear you to pieces."
Snap!
The Spirit Hall leader plucked a small lock of Xu Huang's hair right in front of Xu Long and everyone present. With a mischievous smile, he said, "Oops, it seems I've harmed her a bit more than a single hair."
Xu Long was boiling with rage, glaring fiercely at the leader.
At that moment, not only the crew aboard the Moon Merchant Ship but even the audience in the Spirit Hall's arena thought the Spirit Hall team leader was pushing things too far.
Xue Qinghe chuckled softly, "The Spirit Hall is indeed full of interesting talents."
Bibi Dong commented, "Since the tournament began, she's had some basic training from Tang San… Though, it seems she's also picked up on Tang San's irreverence."
"Ahem, Your Holiness, that's humor," Tang San defended himself, insisting that he was nothing but proper.
Bibi Dong scoffed lightly (￣_￣).
"Humor?"
"Is there really any difference from irreverence?"
Meanwhile, Xu Long had prepared five small spirit-powered vessels for the other teams. As he watched them depart, he instructed his crew, "Follow them, but keep a safe distance. Avoid attacking so as not to endanger the princess or Fu Hongchen… I want to see what's really going on over there!"
"Captain, is it wise to let the princess do as she pleases like this?" another Soul Douluo asked, concerned. "While it's true that the Douluo Continent likely wants to avoid an all-out war with the Sun and Moon Empire, they're wild and uncivilized. If the princess suffers any insult, we'll bear the blame."
Xu Long replied, "You know the princess's personality, don't you? Though her power isn't strong—only Soul Elder level—she's crafty and has her ways of causing trouble. That woman, though fierce, seems like this is her first time in such a situation…"
Despite his words, Xu Long's expression grew even more serious.
Was this whole scenario just some kind of test?
Could it be that the Sun and Moon army, or even the Emperor himself, had really—
"No! Impossible!" Xu Long silenced his own ridiculous thoughts. "There's no way the Emperor would lose. This is clearly an enemy ploy—they only intend to threaten the Emperor by kidnapping the princess."
"Yes, that must be it."
The other two Soul Douluo shared similar thoughts, dismissing questions like Why was the enemy able to sneak over on simple rafts? and Why hadn't the Emperor's army detected them?
(End of Chapter)