The Wolf Raiders glared at Xu Ran fiercely, clearly regarding him as their prey.
However, they didn't instinctively attack Xu Ran but kept howling instead, as if calling for something.
After a while, a notably burly Wolf Raider leader appeared before Xu Ran. Sensing the power fluctuations from the leader, he was comparable to a human Soul Sage in strength.
No wonder this group of Wolf Raiders dared to brazenly slaughter the innocents here.
In Soul Land, Titled Douluos were a rarity, and Soul Douluos were esteemed guests of the major powers. Soul Sages were considered among the most outstanding Soul Masters on the Continent.
This was the western border of the Tiandou Empire, naturally overlooked and not a priority.
After the Wolf Raider leader appeared, he kept staring at Xiaowu and then launched an attack on Xu Ran.
"Overestimating yourself," Xu Ran snorted coldly, and with a casual palm strike, he turned the Wolf Raider leader into a puddle of blood.
The surrounding Wolf Raiders were all stunned, looking at the scene before them in horror. Their leader was strong, how could he be killed so easily?
The villagers nearby who were still alive looked at Xu Ran as though they had seen a guardian deity, their previously empty eyes now brimming with an endless desire for life.
"Go to death."
As Xu Ran's authoritative voice fell, all of the Wolf Raiders collapsed in unison. Their life force was completely cleansed by Xu Ran, turning into dry corpses before disintegrating into ash.
The surviving villagers, witnessing this, had vacant looks in their eyes, not understanding the identities of the young man and woman before them.
At that moment, Xu Ran became a god-like figure in their hearts.
Could there really be beings with such mighty power between heaven and earth?
In the past, they only thought it was a legend, but now they had truly seen it.
With a mere wave of his hand, so many powerful Wolf Raiders were reduced to dust and ash.
"You've been rescued. After this, you're free," Xu Ran told the villagers in front of him, and under the stimulation of his spiritual power, they quickly came to their senses.
They knelt down in unison, worshipping Xu Ran with the utmost respect.
With a wave of his hand, Xu Ran made all the corpses of the villagers in the vicinity disappear into smoke, vanishing between heaven and earth. The stench of blood in the village also dissipated. Except for the people who had been cruelly murdered and the broken village walls, everything else seemed as if it had never happened.
Xu Ran took a look around and then left a few hundred golden soul coins before leaving.
Leaving too many golden soul coins would be a disaster for them.
"Xu Ran, they are so pitiful," Xiaowu's voice trembled, thinking about her and her sister Ah Rou's life-and-death separation in the Aquipeia Forest. She was now afraid to see such things happen.
"Yes," Xu Ran nodded. Although he wasn't a nice person, he still would lend a helping hand to those suffering.
"Later, when we become stronger, we can often go out to punish evil and promote goodness, to help others, okay?" Xiaowu took Xu Ran's hand, her kind heart making her feel uneasy.
Before, she had been under Xu Ran's protection and had never seen the dark side of the world.
"Okay, it's all up to you."
Xu Ran nodded. If there was a chance, doing good deeds might not be a bad thing after all.
He was just merciless to those who stood in his way.
...
Xu Ran and Xiaowu leisurely made their way to Hanhai City.
The two of them stayed in Hanhai City for two days, playing on the sandy beach by the sea. The beach was populated with scantily clad, sexy women. Xu Ran remembered that he once thought of bringing Zhuqing Xiaowu and the others to play volleyball on the beach.
However, that vacation plan had been shelved for various reasons.
Once he had dealt with all the destabilizing factors, he could take the women for a good time.
"Welcome aboard the Sea Demon," Xu Ran and Xiaowu walked towards a big ship along the deck, where a middle-aged man who appeared to be in his fifties greeted them, laughing heartily and gesturing a welcome.
On the shore, many spectators shook their heads at this scene.
"That's one of the Purple Pearl Pirate Group's men."
"Another one off to court death."
Quite a few sailors witnessing the scene couldn't help but feel somber for Xu Ran.
In their eyes, those who boarded that ship had a slim chance of survival.
"Where are you heading?" Heider approached with a cheery grin. After so many years as a pirate, he knew very well that Xu Ran and Xiaowu were no ordinary folks; just their clothing alone was worth a fortune.
"If I can take them out, I'm sure to make a good sum of money."
"As long as I earn enough money, I'll be able to hire powerful fighters to deal with that old woman Purple Pearl and then the pirate group will be mine," Heider thought greedily, his eyes glinting with avarice.
"To Sea God's Island. Are you going?" Xu Ran's lips curved up, not taking Heider seriously. Under overwhelming power, all schemes are nothing but illusions.
"Sea God's Island?" Heider's pupils shrank.
Most people nearby couldn't possibly know about the existence of Sea God's Island, but as a member of the Purple Pearl Pirate Group, he was aware.
"What's the matter? Can't make it?" Xu Ran looked at Heider. "How about Pearl Island, then?"
Xu Ran's lips curled up in amusement as he spoke.
Before heading to Sea God's Island, he indeed wanted to meet Purple Pearl. The woman Purple Pearl was quite attractive, it was just unfortunate that her preferences were somewhat misguided, favoring beautiful young girls.
In the original story, Purple Pearl almost married Xiaowu.
But fundamentally, Pearl Island was not evil and was quite generous, with the Purple Pearl Pirate Group robbing the rich to aid the poor. However, Xu Ran felt that one thing was not right - the rich were not necessarily bad people, and the poor were not necessarily good.
"What? How did you know?" Heider looked at Xu Ran in panic, and instantly, about a dozen sailors surrounded Xu Ran, eyeing him with hostility.
"My power is not something you can withstand. Let's go to Pearl Island as per my request. You're familiar with the place," Xu Ran said with a smile, while an incredibly terrifying aura erupted from him.
"So strong."
"Such a terrifying presence."
Heider and the other dozen or so men trembled, falling to their knees.
Xu Ran's aura was absolutely terrifying to them.
They were well aware that the power of the young man before them far exceeded their imagination.
The strongest among their Purple Pearl Pirate Group, Purple Pearl herself, wasn't even close to matching the youth's strength.
If they offended such a powerful being, they deserved death a thousand times over!
But why would such a strong individual go to Pearl Island? Could it be that he intended to annihilate their pirate group? This thought only heightened their fear.
"My lord..." Heider spoke with respect.
"Don't worry, I'm going to Pearl Island out of curiosity about your leader Purple Pearl. I have no interest in your pirate group," Xu Ran said indifferently.
"My lord, we will set sail now. I'll take you to your room to rest," Heider replied, relieved. Thinking of Purple Pearl's beauty, he immediately understood. He led Xu Ran and Xiaowu to rest, then directed the Sea Demon's course.
He broke out in a cold sweat. It was lucky they hadn't tried to rob Xu Ran yet; otherwise, they would have certainly been doomed.