Soul Emperor Awakening

At Zi Yi’s command, the four Essence Pill Stage guards rowed for their lives, paddling with a desperation that surpassed even the effort they’d put into slaying the Tiger Fish. The boat’s speed shot up, but compared to the enemy’s vessels being pulled by Tiger Fish, it was a pitiful sight. There was no escape.

Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes, sizing up the two approaching boats. They weren’t packed, but there were still eight people in total—an average of four per vessel. The crucial part was their Cultivation was far from low; the weakest were at the Third or Fourth Layer of the Essence Pill Stage, while the strongest was at the Peak of the Essence Pill Stage!

The enemy was clearly the stronger party. Lin Xuan’s guards held no real advantage; they had one expert at the Peak of Essence Pill Stage, but only one. The rest were around the Fourth or Fifth Layer. Their lineup wasn’t bad—at least, it was enough to protect themselves in these waters.

But fighting other people was a different story entirely. For instance, this group rushing toward them radiated Killing Intent. They were shirtless, their bodies covered in grisly scars—clearly, these were men who lived and died by the blade.

’Demon Sea Pirates...’ Lin Xuan frowned. Qing Liuyun’s memories contained information on such people. They weren’t from the Soaring Dragon Empire or any other Empire; they were simply inhabitants of these waters.

The environment of the Demon Cloud Sea was harsh, but it was dotted with small islands, and thus, a fair number of people. There are good and bad people everywhere, and a brutal place like the Demon Cloud Sea was no exception. These Pirates were professional plunderers. They would rob anyone who wasn’t one of their own, and they almost never left survivors.

Qing Liuyun had encountered them many times. They had always tried to stop him, and he had always killed them with ease. They were anything but decent folk.

"Young Master Lin, these are the Pirates of the Demon Sea! They’re here to rob us. When the fighting breaks out, you must be careful! Don’t be reckless—escape if you can. They rule these waters!" Zi Yi’s expression was grim. She couldn’t believe her luck was this terrible. The Demon Cloud Sea was vast, yet they had to be the ones to run into Pirates.

The Pirates’ greatest advantage was their ability to tame the Tiger Fish. Using them for propulsion made catching their prey laughably easy.

"I will," Lin Xuan said simply, his hand tightening around the White Pupil Rod. Even though they were Pirates of the Demon Sea, it didn’t mean they could afford to be careless. Falling into the water would make it just as difficult for them to get back on board. Still, compared to foreign Cultivators, they were far more capable here.

The stronger ones among them could even swim in the Demon Sea without issue, so long as they remained vigilant against Tiger Fish attacks. However, people could also tie Spirit Wood to themselves. Tiger Fish hated the scent of Spirit Wood, which is why ships could float safely on the water. It was a crucial countermeasure.

If the Spirit Wood didn’t deter them, they would have burst up from beneath the boats and devoured everyone in a single gulp long ago. There would be no need for them to approach from the sides.

"Heh, with that pathetic speed, you think you can escape? Just give up and stay put for us!"

"Yo, Boss, look! There’s a pretty little thing over there. We’ve hit the jackpot! Check out that figure... damn, it’s driving me wild!"

"Looks like our luck’s in today! That little thing looks so fresh and tender. Gonna be a good time!"

...

As the men on the other boat shouted their vulgarities, the color drained from Zi Yi’s face. If she were to be captured, the horrifying consequences were too dreadful to even imagine—a fate she understood all too well.

"We are from the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion of the Soaring Dragon Empire! Back off now, or you’ll face the wrath of the Pavilion’s hunters!" one of the guards yelled, hoping the name would intimidate them.

"The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion? What the hell is that? Means jack shit to me!" the brawny man in the lead scoffed with utter contempt. "Just stay put. You can all die, but the woman stays with me!"

The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion might be a big deal in the Soaring Dragon Empire, but in the Demon Cloud Sea? Sorry, never heard of it. And even if they had, so what? The Pavilion’s reach wasn’t long enough to extend here. The Demon Cloud Sea was a vast territory; it would be impossible to trace who was responsible.

In the blink of an eye, the pirates were upon them. With a roar of laughter, they began leaping from their own boat. They executed a simple Body Technique, floating across the gap. Several of the strongest Cultivators jumped over in succession, completely unafraid of falling into the sea below.

"Miss, get back!"

The guards quickly drew their weapons and urged Zi Yi and Lin Xuan to get into another boat. At the same time, they pulled out several more small boats and tossed them into the water, creating more platforms to stand on.

CLANG!

The sharp sound of weapons clashing rang out as the two sides engaged in a furious battle. The resulting shockwaves rolled into the Demon Sea but failed to stir up any significant waves, disappearing after creating just a small ripple.

"Young Master Lin, let’s go!" Zi Yi remained remarkably calm. Grabbing a specially made oar, she began rowing furiously, trying to escape toward the shore. But their speed was just too slow; it was useless.

In this situation, her only choice was to escape with Lin Xuan first. ’Our Cultivation is the lowest. Staying here won’t help; we’ll just be a burden.’

But as Zi Yi rowed with all her might, Lin Xuan, long rod in hand, watched one of the pirate boats circling around to intercept them. "We can’t escape," he said coolly. "As long as they control those Tiger Fish, nothing we do will matter."

The advantage the Tiger Fish gave them was just too great. No matter how hard they rowed, they couldn’t get away. Especially since the enemy had them outnumbered—once they were surrounded, how could they possibly escape?

"Are we just going to be captured like this?" A flicker of despair crossed Zi Yi’s eyes. She didn’t want to be caught, but right now, it seemed there was no other choice.

"Take Miss Zi Yi and escape! Leave this to me!" Lin Xuan roared, his voice so clear and powerful that it even drew the attention of the surrounding Tiger Fish.

The guards wondered if they had heard him correctly. ’The enemy has so many Essence Pill Stage experts, and he’s saying to leave it to *him*?’

The words had barely left his mouth when Lin Xuan tossed a wooden plank onto the water. As it settled on the surface, the soul of the Golden Dragon King instantly possessed him! A wave of Dragon’s Might swept out from his body in all directions. A golden light began to emanate from his skin, dazzling in the dark of night.

The moment the Dragon’s Might was unleashed, the pirate boats that were circling around them came to a dead stop. The surrounding Tiger Fish no longer dared to approach; they even began to tremble, utterly terrified by the aura radiating from Lin Xuan.

With that, the boats halted completely, all thoughts of pursuit vanishing. The sight left everyone stunned—the surrounding Tiger Fish were actually afraid of this young man!

Dragon’s Might was exceptionally effective against relatively Low Tier Demon Beasts. It was like the descent of a King, forcing all lesser Demon Beasts into submission!