Chapter 342 Soul Tempering

The Sea Dragon Prince's face turned pale with shock, not out of fear, but at the sight of the grotesque face of the stranger... such an ugly monster existed in this world!

Clara, however, was both shocked and thrilled. The strange man who had barged in was Jason the Grotesque Face, ranked fourth among the ten great pirate crews of the Abyssal Sea. His arrival here meant his Disfigured Pirate Crew was also present. However, Clara was uncertain whether Jason had come to plunder her fleet as well...

"You go first! Three slashes!"

The grotesque man seemed to sense the prince's unfriendly gaze and suddenly swung his blade towards the Sea Dragon Prince.

The strike started off plain and unadorned, as if it were a reckless slash from an enraged brute. But midway, the entire blade started to quiver, each tremor altering the blade's momentum. This single strike appeared to multiply into countless blades, covering all escape routes for the Sea Dragon Prince, forcing him to face the attack head-on, just as plainly as the grotesque man.

"Ha!" The prince's guard shouted sharply, abruptly stepping in to block the strike for Prince Urix. However, with a splattering sound, the guard's face was covered in blade marks, blood continuously dripping down.

"Prince, retreat quickly... he's not alone."

"Hahaha, taking a blade for someone will scar you, just like me, just like me, die!"

Jason cackled grotesquely and swung another similar strike. This time, the changes on the blade were even more intense, faintly visible as blade energies flickered. You might overlook a nation's general, but never underestimate a pirate captain, each a strong fighter forged in blood and rain.

Outside the cabin, the Demon Wind Pirate Crew, initially mopping up the battlefield, was now embroiled in a brawl. Nine great pirate crews had joined forces, with hundreds of pirate ships fiercely attacking the Demon Wind Pirate Crew. Even the first pirate crew, Redbeard Carlos, had sent ten ships and his deputy to intervene.

On the sea, Half-Palm, trying to escape, was firmly intercepted by six peak ghost-level experts.

The half-orc Sessis grinned broadly, "Half-Palm, Half-Palm, who would have thought you'd be the spy for the Sea Dragon Clan. Wasn't half your palm cut off by the Sea Dragons? What? A ploy of suffering? Or just naturally subservient, working for your foes?"

"Pah!"

Half-Palm spat a mouthful of blood, "Pah, if you want to take me over, just say so, no need for excuses. Who among you doesn't have some background?"

"Backgrounds can be arranged, benefits exchanged, everyone just wants a better life. But selling out intelligence, betraying the Iron Skull Island where we all trade to the Sea Dragon Clan, you, unforgivable."

"Hahaha, Kira, don't spout pretty words as a pirate, unforgivable? As a pirate, what crime is there to fear? Don't you want to kill Redbeard Carlos and become the first pirate yourself?"

Kira's expression darkened, "Nonsense, in that case, no need to give you a chance to explain, kill."

Half-Palm wanted to self-destruct, to drag someone down with him, but... the combined efforts of the six peak ghosts gave him no chance. Kira was the fastest, and as Half-Palm was restrained by Sessis, he thrust a finger into Half-Palm's forehead. The icy soul power instantly froze his brain into shards of ice.

Boom...

In the distance, two figures exploded out from Half-Palm's ship, with the madman Jason the Grotesque yelling and hot on their heels. But the two instantly leaped into the sea and disappeared, leaving Jason furious, he swung his blade down, a huge blade aura flashing, splitting a surrendered pirate ship in half, which quickly sank.

"Damn it, Jason, did you eat too much chili and scorch your butt? These are spoils of war! If you swing again, I'll make you retrieve them all!"

The half-orc Sessis was so furious his beard bristled, shouting loudly.

Jason glared at Sessis, then burst into a strange laugh, "You stinking half-orc, threaten me again! I'll slash you a hundred times!"

Clara, bound and gagged, was passed around and captured once more.

The pirate kings were somewhat unsure about capturing a mermaid, and seeing the spoils from Half-Palm's raid on the mermaid fleet made them even more restless.

"Half-Palm really had the inside scoop, knew this mermaid shipment was lucrative."

The nine pirate kings gathered together, not bothering to hide, actually discussing openly in front of Clara.

"There's also a whale girl locked in the lower cabin, drugged and immobile, just like our verbal agreement with Mephir."

"Leaders, I am Princess Clara of the Azure Sky Sea, thank you for your assistance..." Clara tried to struggle, but the pirates paid her no mind. Clara felt a bit desperate, really thinking she was about to make a grand career, but it turned out to be an unfortunate start.

Having come this far, they didn't care if she was a mermaid princess, but rather about the distribution of profits.

"Sweetheart, stop dreaming," the pirates laughed wildly. Not only the pirate leader, but even the pirates beside him had fiery gazes, as if they wanted to tear Clara apart.

A woman captured by pirates often faces a fate worse than death.

These gazes made Clara feel suffocated. She was no mermaid; once certain things happened, even if she survived, her life would be over. A mermaid princess without honor would lose all value.

Clara's heart began to sink, feeling a bit of despair. Here, she truly had no one to call for help, no place to turn to. She must have picked the wrong day to set out.

Sessis, however, paused, ignoring the excitement of the other pirates. "What did you say your name was?"

"Clara," Clara replied indifferently, having already decided to bite her tongue and end it all later.

"Do you know Wang Feng?" Sessis asked with a stern face.

"Wang Feng of the Rose, so what if I do?" Clara instinctively replied.

"Right, your mermaid contract was given to him, wasn't it?" Sessis didn't expect such a coincidence.

Clara nodded, a glimmer of hope reigniting within her, though she dared not confirm it. After all, Wang Feng... a small-time thug from the Aurora, and a pirate leader who ruled the Abyssal Sea, they were worlds apart.

"Little girl, stop trying to charm us; it won't work." sneered Mata, the ninth-ranked pirate king.

Clara took a deep breath and stopped speaking, the hostility around her growing more intense.

Sessis smiled, "Everyone, I stand by this mermaid. She's my brother's woman. If anyone has a problem, step up, and I, Sessis, will handle it."

Sessis wasn't the strongest, but he was the craziest and fiercely loyal. Otherwise, an orc like him wouldn't have been able to establish himself at sea. This was a first for him.

Several unfriendly gazes turned towards Sessis. After all, they had already dealt with Half-Palm today... Sessis's orc pirate crew was ranked seventh. Without him...

"Sessis is fooling around. This mermaid princess is a rare catch; brothers should at least get a taste," said another pirate king, nodding in agreement. There was no reason to let such a prize slip away.

The tension grew, but Sessis stood his ground, clearly prepared to stand his ground. Clara sensed the killing intent.

But just then, the previously argumentative Jason suddenly sided with Sessis. "Hehehe, what's going on? Sessis is our brother. It's just a woman. This guy is making a request for the first time. No need to get greedy over a woman. But, brothers should keep the accounts clear. You can have the person, but the goods are off the table."

Kira's expression changed again. Clearly, Jason was siding with Sessis. The previously restless pirate kings also quieted down. Risking lives with two madmen wasn't worth it.

Kira quickly made a decision. "Haha, since Jason has spoken, we'll give you this one, Sessis. You can have the girl, but the loot is ours. And if letting this little lady go causes trouble later, you'll be responsible."

Sessis smiled and waved his hand, "When has Sessis ever gone back on his word?"

In the blink of an eye, the lords of the Abyssal Sea decided Clara's fate. Being captured by pirates was undoubtedly a thousand times worse than being captured by the Sea Dragon Prince.

At that moment, Clara was soaked in sweat. Her life seemed to be spared, all because of Wang Feng, who was still far away in Dragon City, his fate unknown.

...

In the hall of Fort Edge, Yakray and a group of generals gathered around the sand table.

The sand table had been reset, and the dozens of soul power crystals around it dimmed. The exorcists in charge were continuously pouring soul power into the crystals.

Suddenly, a few grains of sand in the center of the table moved slightly.

"Sir, there's movement!"

Everyone's faces lit up with joy. The exorcists sped up their infusion of soul power, and a few crystals began to glow faintly. In the center of the sand table, small streams of sand started to jump from the surface, forming several peaks that rose and fell, as if trying to form some shape.

This is how the League of Blades monitors. Under normal circumstances, these sands would form complex terrains and more detailed information. If the signal is strong enough, they could even form moving humanoid shapes. However, at this moment, the fluctuating sands seem unable to stabilize properly, let alone form a humanoid shape; even the terrain is indistinct. This is clearly due to the weak connection signal, as it is already the third layer of the illusion, and only Wang Feng and Hei Wukai's Soul Tokens are barely connected within the entire illusion space, resulting in very little feedback signal.

The exorcist in charge of the Soul Tokens is already sweating on his forehead. Gujilian pushes aside the most overworked exorcist—she, too, is an exorcist! She places her hand on the Soul Token, and the profound soul power of the Ghost Initial's is suddenly channeled. The previously flickering Soul Token emits a steady, dazzling white light, and the fluctuating sands seem to gain strong support, forcibly forming a scene in the sand table.

The sands quickly rise and pile up, forming descending steps of quicksand. On the plane in front of the steps, humanoid shapes attempt to form but fail as soon as footprints appear. The signal is too weak; moving creatures are the hardest to map, and even with Gujilian's powerful soul power, it's futile. The group doesn't push further, and with Gujilian's full soul power, the sands swiftly form a large, round sand pearl that stabilizes and floats in the air on the flat ground below the steps.

"Is that some kind of monster's egg? Or a seal?"

"A pearl-shaped treasure?"

"This mapping is likely a treasure. According to the disciples who came out earlier and Fa Cang, the Tree Demon and the Naga from the second layer both dropped soul pearl-like objects upon death."

"If it's a treasure, the volume ratio is too large..."

The exorcists analyze in a hubbub, but Yakray shows a slight smile: "It's the essence, the soul essence."

The Sword Demon, during his younger days, represented the League of Blades in several battles in the Soul Illusion Realm. While analyzing detailed data might require the exorcists' professional skills, no one present would dare claim to understand the Soul Illusion Realm better than the Sword Demon.

"Soul essence? Boss, what's that?" Tamucha asks in surprise. In the Soul Illusion Realm, aren't there only monsters and treasures?

"This is the essence layer of the Soul Illusion Realm, appearing only in large Soul Illusion Realms," Yakray explains with a smile. "I've seen it once before, a pure soul refinement challenge. Unlike the uniqueness of the ultimate artifact, this is a gift for all entrants, a generous offering from the Soul Illusion Realm to adventurers!"

Tamucha is still puzzled: "A gift of what?"

"Most likely a chance for soul refinement, how much one can refine depends on personal talent and luck... Do you know where I completely broke through the ghost level threshold?" Yakray points to the sphere in the sand table: "It was there!"

...

This is a very eerie passage, very long. Mapeier feels she has been walking here for a long time but still hasn't seen the end of the passage.

If it were just long, Mapeier wouldn't mind, but what she finds hard to accept is that her senior brother is missing!

Just now, Wang Feng, who was walking a step ahead of her, suddenly quickened his pace. Naturally, Mapeier sped up to follow, but she found Wang Feng's speed unusually fast, getting faster and faster, soon reaching a pace she couldn't match even with all her effort. Mapeier wanted to call out to her senior brother, but it felt like her throat was being choked, unable to make a sound. Wang Feng didn't look back and disappeared down the endless dark stairs in just a few seconds.

"Senior brother!" Only after Wang Feng had disappeared did the choking feeling suddenly vanish, and she could call out.

The quiet stair passage reverberates with her voice. Mapeier is about to call out again when suddenly, she hears a series of alarming sounds.

Mapeier abruptly stops, alertly looking to both sides, but in that instant, the narrow passage changes, the distance between the walls rapidly widening. In a daze, Mapeier feels the scenery around her slightly shift.

It's very bright around, with a glaring sun overhead. Even without looking up, the light reflecting off the yellow sand is enough to be blinding, making it hard for Mapeier to keep her eyes open. She squints slightly, seeing nothing but desolation around, yellow sand everywhere, hot quicksand underfoot, and a long trail of footprints behind her.

Mapeier feels parched and dizzy, her consciousness slightly blurred, vaguely recalling that she had something very important to do, but no matter how hard she tries, she can't remember what it was.

This feeling of confusion is terrible, like depression, uninterested in anything else, not even knowing what living is for... No, I definitely have something very important! I know it!

Mapeier shakes her head vigorously, trying to recall as she stumbles forward, but suddenly, she hears excited, lewd voices from behind.

"There's a woman!"

The sound of sand camels quickly approaching, ridden by ugly Sand Tribe members, all tall and strong, wielding weapons, surrounding her.

This scene seems familiar, as if she's experienced it before. Mapeier feels she should be scared, but her real reaction is one of confusion. She stares blankly at the men.

"She's too young!"

"Even if she's young, she's still a woman!" A bearded Sand Tribe member grins, revealing a mouthful of uneven, yellow teeth. "I like them young, hahaha!"

"The official from the Nine Gods organization in town is collecting young virgins, and they can fetch a good price. Don't cause any trouble! Hey... you little brat, what are you staring at!" A burning whip lashed out, striking Mapeier's face, causing a searing pain, yet she didn't even flinch.

"I seem to have forgotten something very important," Mapeier said calmly, unlike a typical ten-year-old girl, looking confusedly at the sand tribesman. "Can you tell me what that is?"

"What thing?" The sand tribesman was puzzled.

The bearded man beside him laughed, "She's probably an idiot! That official doesn't need idiots. I think I'll just have my fun right here and now."

The sand tribesman frowned and lashed another whip across Mapeier's face, "Hey, what's your name?"

Whack!

Another burning lash, and Mapeier didn't even try to dodge, still troubled by her question, "I've forgotten something very important, what is it?"

Seeing her like this, she's probably really an idiot, the sand tribesman shook his head.

"Ow, ow, stop hitting, stop hitting, you'll ruin her, such a pretty little idiot, what a shame, hand her over to me!" The bearded man said, jumping off his camel, eagerly reaching out to grab Mapeier's arm, laughing heartily, "Little sweetheart, I know what important thing you've forgotten!"

"What is it?" Mapeier asked.

"Finding a man!" The bearded man laughed heartily, reaching out to tear at Mapeier's already tattered clothes, but then he saw a strange glint in the girl's eyes.

Finding a man? Finding someone? That's right...

Mapeier remembered, she was looking for her senior brother, Wang Feng!

The confusion in her eyes vanished instantly, clarity returning.

Snap! Mapeier grabbed the bearded man's fat, disgusting hand.

The bearded man was startled, before he could speak, he saw a cold curve form at the corner of the girl's mouth, "Thank you."

Swish, swish, swish!

Several blood-soaked spider threads, the fat man and the bodies of those surrounding her were gruesomely dismembered, crashing down... flesh and blood tumbling, as if the surrounding desert also crumbled, the scenery changed once again.

It was a pitch-black night, with torrential rain pouring down, two powerful figures clad in black stood in front of her.

"Either return!" One of the tall black-clad figures said coldly, "Or face death."

The voice seemed to come from the depths of a demon's lair, eerie and terrifying, a voice that Mapeier, no, everyone in the training camp feared the most.

At the same time, the other black-clad figure's voice was gentle, a woman, she smiled and said, "Number Seven, don't give up on yourself, and don't give up on the empire's glory. You are the most outstanding trainee here, your talent is unmatched, the empire needs you, and can make you great!"

The stick and the carrot, the training camp's usual methods, she used to fall for it, not out of fear of death or the harsh training, but because of this woman's sweet talk.

Empire? Glory? These were once her goals, the foundation that kept her going, but honestly, it's all too vague and elusive, often leaving her feeling lost. How can someone who has never experienced glory feel its impact?

Listen to that ridiculous title, Number Seven? She didn't even have a name, what glory! Compared to these, that real senior brother seemed more real, warmer, something she could see and touch.

"Move aside."

Both black-clad figures slightly changed their expressions, the woman said, "Number Seven, have you forgotten your mission? The empire trained you, the empire saved you from the demons in the desert, the empire gave you a new life! You should be loyal to the empire, the empire is your glory!"

"Number Seven, you have one last chance," the black-clad man said coldly, "I'll give you three seconds to think."

Mapeier smiled.

Life and death? She was never afraid, what truly scared her was losing her goal, losing the person she wanted to protect.

As long as that goal remained, as long as the person she wanted to protect was still there, no matter how difficult, no matter what stood in her way, she would surely overcome it!

Her senior brother was right ahead; no matter what, she had to find him.

“Torture!” In the darkness, only the chilling instruments of torture remained.

The surroundings were unbearably hot, with rolling magma below. Large bubbles of magma churned in the flow, constantly rising and bursting, sending out sparks of fire.

Cang Jue dared not move; she had suddenly fallen into this place.

Above her was a circular opening, but it seemed very far away, like a volcanic crater. Her staff was embedded half a foot into the rock wall beside her, the only thing keeping her from falling into the magma.

The relentless heat continuously scorched her, and the sweat on her pale face had almost dried up.

Cang Jue had tried various methods to escape, but none were effective. Ice-based witchcraft was simply ineffective here. Even the simplest ice spike, in this extreme heat, could only muster less than a tenth of its usual power. Forget about using it as a climbing support; even the tiny ice spikes, no thicker than a finger, would instantly melt in the intense heat, making them utterly useless.

This environment was brutally harsh for an ice witch. Cang Jue could only cling precariously to her staff with both hands.

The relentless heat continued to sap her strength. Cang Jue felt her hands growing slick with sweat, her grip on the staff faltering, as if she might plunge into the terrifying magma flow and be reduced to ashes at any moment.

Thankfully, Cang Jue's mind remained clear. She could still vividly recall the battle with Nagaraja, how they had all descended the quiet staircase, and how she had suddenly plummeted into this volcanic crater.

The staircase couldn't have vanished without a trace. The same went for Wang Feng, Hei Wukai, Long Feixue, and others who were with her. Without a doubt, this had to be an illusion; everything here was fake!

But what did it matter? Illusions could still kill. Even if the magma below was an illusion, Cang Jue knew that letting go would mean instant death for her soul.

She tugged at the staff again, trying to wipe the sweat from her palms, but it did little good. She also attempted to focus her soul power, hoping to pierce through the illusion, but it was futile.

Her once cool, jade-like skin now glowed pink and translucent, with beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.

With no way out, Cang Jue couldn't help but succumb to despair...

Honestly, she felt deeply conflicted. The aloof and proud image others saw was merely a mask she wore. In truth, her heart wasn't nearly as strong or steadfast as others believed.

Born into the Celestial Master Sect yet also part of the Nine Gods' system, she was torn between her family's devotion to the Holy Lord and the Nine Gods' loyalty to the empire, taught at the War Academy.

As the Holy Maiden of the Celestial Master Sect and a rising star at the War Academy, she was highly esteemed by all factions of the Nine Gods. For her grandfather's generation, this might not have been a source of confusion or conflict, but when Cang Jue was thrust into this world, she was just a child...

Often, she was unsure which side was truly right. Setting aside logic, her heart leaned more towards the Celestial Master Sect, as they were her family. But the teachings of the Celestial Master Sect and her duties as Holy Maiden required her to serve a man she had never met...

Women are emotional beings, always dreaming of beautiful love. They can sacrifice everything else, but giving up on love is too much to ask.

Moreover, she had seen Emperor Long Kang, Crown Prince Long Zhen, and countless other peerless experts, none of whom resembled Wang Feng.

To be honest, she sometimes doubted whether the teachings of the Celestial Master Sect were correct, whether there was something wrong with her own testing. As for the so-called faith and successors, she really didn't know how to believe in them anymore.

The test of the soul is most averse to a wavering will. Perhaps it was precisely this conflict, this lack of firm faith, that had driven her into this unsolvable illusion.

Cang Jue thought of this and tried to convince herself to either fully believe or fully reject, but if the answers hidden deep within could be changed by simply shouting a few slogans, they wouldn't have troubled her for so long.

The pure white figure still hung on the volcanic rock wall, alone, embodying the opposition and conflict of ice and fire, with life and death hanging in the balance.

No solution!

………

The surroundings were an empty altar space. Old Wang looked up and couldn't help but yawn in frustration.

In the center of this place was also a statue of Nagaraja, surrounded by mountain walls. Behind Old Wang, a short staircase extended from within the mountain wall, the path they had just descended.

At this moment, Hei Wukai, Mapeier, Long Feixue, and Cang Jue stood motionless beneath the statue. In fact, their dazed state had begun while they were still descending the staircase; the latter half of the journey was almost entirely guided by their souls. Without a doubt, they had entered the unique, illusory world of the soul on this third level.

This was a test, a tempering of the soul. To be honest, it was mostly beneficial, an opportunity to transcend oneself, but there were certainly dangers as well. It depended on the strength of one's willpower, whether one could endure. If one couldn't overcome the inner demons within their heart, couldn't conquer themselves, then dying in the soul's illusion was not at all surprising.

And his bug still worked here. The Insect God species transcended all... because its essence required no tempering. This was a test of the soul seed, something that shouldn't exist at all.