Chapter 192: The Lesser Soul Realm
As the crisp sound of soul flames igniting echoed through the space, the expressions of Wen Sheng and Wu Sheng, the two half saints at a distance, changed drastically.
"Die? Not that easily!" they roared in unison, extending their massive hands as if attempting to prevent the Soul Hall Elder from committing suicide.
A living elder of the Soul Hall, who had served the organization for over a millennium, held information far more valuable than the now deceased Hun Chen. He might even know the exact location of the Soul Hall's headquarters. Capturing him alive would be a monumental achievement.
However, upon seeing their actions, the Soul Hall Elder's face contorted with anger.
"You bastards! You won't even let me die in peace!" he cursed, his body erupting in more intense flames.
These were soul burning flames, and when a Dou Zun expert was determined to end their life, even the mighty Wen Sheng and Wu Sheng could do nothing to stop it. They could only watch helplessly as the elder's soul burned itself out, vanishing into nothingness.
"May I never return to this cursed world in my next life," was Niu Zun Lao's final thought.
When the flames finally extinguished, the elder's lifeless body collapsed to the ground with a dull thud.
"Damn it!" Wu Sheng roared, his frustration palpable as he glared at the now soulless corpse. Another opportunity for significant merit had slipped through their fingers.
Cleaning Up
With the "big fish" gone, the three could only turn their attention to the remaining "small fry."
The remaining members of the Soul Hall consisted mostly of Dou Zong and Dou Huang experts. Dou Huangs were unqualified to serve as Protectors and could only take on lesser roles, such as Stewards, like the recently executed Mo Cheng. These individuals held little valuable information.
For Xiao Yan, mercy was never an option when dealing with enemies. He decisively destroyed their bodies and captured their souls in jade bottles. Using the Soul Clan's interrogation techniques, he extracted what little information they had.
"Wu Lao, eliminate any remnants of the Soul Hall outside as well," Xiao Yan commanded after gathering some intelligence.
By dawn, the outer disciples of the Beast Tamer Sect awoke to shocking news: their sect master and two elders had mysteriously died in their chambers.
The other enigmatic elders of the sect never reappeared in the world.
Chaos soon engulfed the Beast Tamer Sect, and a few disciples managed to seize some core legacies before fleeing. Without the protection of top tier experts, the sect had become a tempting target. Remaining would only lead to certain death.
A Disappointing Interrogation
Back in the destroyed branch hall, Xiao Yan stood before two trapped souls Jie Protector and Wu Protector bound to pillars with Soul Hall's Soul Binding Chains. Both had been beaten mercilessly, their wails echoing through the chamber.
"Why is the Soul Hall seeking out Heavenly Flames?" Xiao Yan asked coldly. "Weren't you supposed to be hunting for souls?"
"We… we don't know!" the two Protectors wailed, their incorporeal forms trembling under Xiao Yan's menacing glare.
"You don't know?" Xiao Yan's voice grew icy as he cracked his Soul Whip, delivering another stinging lash.
"This is your Soul Hall's own torture method. You should know better than anyone how much it hurts."
"We really don't know!" The two souls sobbed, their ghostly faces contorted in agony.
By the time they joined the Soul Hall, its operations had shifted away from soul collection. With the Soul Clan long gone, there was little need for souls. The organization retained its name only because its leadership shared the surname "Hun" (Soul).
The Protectors explained that the Soul Hall's current mission was simply to recruit talented individuals and quietly amass strength, all in service of the high ranking officials' plan to "restore the Soul Clan and defeat the Xiao Clan."
Even the task of collecting Heavenly Flames had only emerged about a decade ago.
"So you really don't know why the Soul Hall is gathering Heavenly Flames?" Xiao Yan's gaze was piercing.
"No, we don't!" the two Protectors replied weakly, on the verge of dissipating entirely.
"Then do you at least know which Heavenly Flames the Soul Hall currently possesses?" Xiao Yan asked, his eyes narrowing.
"We… we don't know…"
"Headquarters location? Don't know. Purpose of collecting flames? Don't know. What flames the Hall has? Still don't know!"
Xiao Yan lashed the whip again.
"What do you two know?"
"W we know nothing…" the Protectors whimpered pathetically.
"Useless trash! Complete wastes of space!" Xiao Yan fumed, his face darkening further.
"No wonder you're just Protectors. With your level of intelligence, you'll never earn more than two dishes at a banquet!"
After delivering a few more lashes, Xiao Yan finally stored the two Protectors' souls into a jade bottle.
"They're so hopeless, I'll warn the Xiao Clan against using their souls in soul nurturing elixirs," Xiao Yan muttered. "Wouldn't want anyone turning stupid after consuming them."
A Fragment of Clarity
Turning his attention to other captured souls, Xiao Yan extracted some minor information from a more perceptive Protector.
This one mentioned the emergence of a new Saintess within the Soul Hall. Remarkably, this young woman had already reached the Dou Zun realm at a young age.
Furthermore, the Protector claimed to have seen this Saintess once. She reportedly wielded a dark red Heavenly Flame.
"A Saintess? A dark red flame? Could it be… the Volcanic Rock Flame?" Xiao Yan's brows furrowed in thought.
Saintess, Heavenly Flames… What exactly was the Soul Hall plotting? Could this Saintess be the so called chosen one of destiny?
Xiao Yan's final question was straightforward: "How does the Saintess look?"
"She always wears a veil, so her face is unclear. But her figure is… remarkable," the Protector replied, his tone cautious yet flattering.
"Useful information at last," Xiao Yan muttered, sparing this soul from further torment.
After storing the Protector's soul, Xiao Yan sighed. The clues about the Soul Hall's motives had dried up, leaving him frustrated.
Returning to His Mission
"Forget it," he said, shaking his head. The Soul Hall's trail had gone cold, but Xiao Yan had more pressing matters to attend to his strength still needed improvement.
He exited the now destroyed branch hall, carrying the corpse of the deceased elder in his storage ring.
With the Green Lotus Core Flame in his possession, he would soon wield three Heavenly Flames.
Once he refined this third flame, he could resurrect Yun Po Tian and lay the foundation for the Yan Alliance.
Just as he felt a surge of excitement, a thought struck him, and his expression darkened.
"Damn it! Xiao Yi Xian!"
He had promised to return in ten or fifteen days, but his journey had stretched into two months.
"If I don't get back soon, she'll think I'm just another scumbag who breaks hearts and leaves!"
Cursing his delay, Xiao Yan turned toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range, flying at full speed.
The Hidden Realm
Meanwhile, deep within the southwestern continent, a series of towering mountains concealed a hidden realm shrouded in mystery.
This space, known as the Lesser Soul Realm, was a secret stronghold left behind by the Soul Clan. Constructed personally by Hun Tiandi, it was nearly undetectable. Only a Dou Di expert, or an extraordinarily perceptive Nine Star Dou Sheng, could hope to discover it.
At the heart of the Lesser Soul Realm stood a massive, pitch black hall. Inside, a black robed middle aged man sat upon a throne.
With a sudden movement, the man crushed the wine cup in his hand, his expression cold and foreboding.
(To be continued…)
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