Chapter 193: The New Saintess of the Soul Clan
"Damn it! It's someone from the Xiao Clan!"
The middle aged man's expression darkened, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
"Anri Tianzun, what's wrong?"
A raspy voice came from behind him as an elderly figure with white hair emerged. The man was Bone Ghost, one of the leaders of the Soul Hall.
"Bone Ghost Hall Master... Niuzi... Niuzi is dead," Anri Tianzun said, his voice filled with despair as he looked at Bone Ghost.
In the aftermath of the ancient Xiao Soul War, the Soul Hall had been shattered. Its once mighty leaders like Hall Master Hun Miesheng had fallen, along with half of its Tianzun level experts and many of its Dou Zun elders.
Now, the Soul Hall was a shadow of its former self, with its current hall master, Hun Wuyou, once only a deputy, managing to break through to become a Four Star Dou Sheng a century ago. Similarly, Bone Ghost had also advanced to the realm of Dou Sheng after years of relentless effort.
"Niuzi? Which Niuzi?" Bone Ghost's expression briefly turned puzzled as his gaze drifted downward.
"I mean Hun Niu, not that!" Anri Tianzun snapped, noticing Bone Ghost's peculiar expression. His frustration deepened, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
"Oh, that Hun Niu..." Bone Ghost said, realization dawning on him. His expression quickly darkened.
"Wasn't he stationed at one of our branch halls? If he's dead, does that mean the entire branch hall has been destroyed?"
His tone grew grim.
The Soul Hall had long since ceased its soul collecting operations to avoid drawing the Xiao Clan's attention. Instead, they focused on nurturing disciples and amassing strength. Yet, despite decades of effort, they hadn't produced a single new Dou Zun, and now they had lost one of their few remaining elders.
Bone Ghost's head throbbed with frustration.
"Every member of the Soul Clan is born with a heavy burden to bear," he murmured, trying to console himself.
"Hall Master, do you truly believe we can win this war?" Anri Tianzun asked, his face filled with doubt.
Most of the Soul Hall's lower ranked members feared the Xiao Clan, but they had no concept of just how powerful the Xiao Clan truly was. If they knew, perhaps they would be as despairing as Anri Tianzun.
"Slap!"
Bone Ghost smacked him across the face.
"How dare you say such things? You're a Tianzun of the Soul Hall! If even you lose hope, how can we ever rise again?"
He glared fiercely at Anri Tianzun.
"Reflect on your words carefully."
Leaving a dazed Anri Tianzun behind, Bone Ghost turned and walked away.
The Hope of the Soul Clan
Elsewhere in the Lesser Soul Realm, Hun Wuyou, the current Hall Master of the Soul Hall, sat atop a towering peak, gazing down at the land below.
Beside him sat an elegant tea table, with a kettle of boiling water inexplicably heated without any visible flame.
At the base of the mountain stood a strange cubical structure surrounded by Soul Clan descendants. Each held black metallic weapons that glinted ominously.
If Xiao Yan were here, he would have been astonished. These were firearms, including rifles and even rocket launchers. Equipped with such weapons, even Dou Wang level experts could be fatally injured.
A ripple in space heralded Bone Ghost's arrival behind Hun Wuyou.
"What is it?" Hun Wuyou asked without turning.
"Hun Niu is dead," Bone Ghost replied, his tone calm but his voice tinged with weariness.
Hun Wuyou's hand paused mid sip before he resumed drinking his tea.
"A Dou Zun has fallen, then."
Bone Ghost's composure cracked slightly. "Hall Master, can we really hold out until the day of victory?"
Even he, a Dou Sheng, felt the weight of despair. The Xiao Clan had the ultimate trump card a Dou Di. What hope did they, with their dwindling numbers, have against such power?
Hun Wuyou, however, remained tranquil. "As long as the Saintess lives, there is hope."
"The Saintess?" Bone Ghost asked, puzzled. His gaze shifted to the weapons below.
"Hall Master, while these weapons are indeed strange and capable of killing Dou Wang level fighters, they're useless against Dou Zong or Dou Zun experts.
"And though the Saintess possesses extraordinary talent and is our only divine blooded descendant, the Xiao Clan has produced countless divine blooded individuals.
"Worse yet... they have a Dou Di."
Even Bone Ghost couldn't help but shudder at the thought of Xiao Xuan, the Xiao Clan's Dou Di. That man alone was more powerful than all the Dou Shengs on the continent combined.
"Don't worry," Hun Wuyou said with a faint smile. "Just wait."
Pouring a cup of tea for Bone Ghost, he added, "Come, drink."
Bone Ghost hesitated before sitting down, staring at the intricate tea table. This contraption was one of the Saintess's inventions, using a lightning attribute magical beast core to boil water without fire.
He couldn't fathom how it worked but doubted such things could ever match the might of a Dou Di.
The Saintess at Work
Near the base of the mountain, beside a volcano spewing molten lava, a slender, graceful figure swung a massive hammer with surprising force. Each strike resonated powerfully, shaping a mysterious piece of metal.
The materials surrounding her hinted at the imminent construction of a fearsome weapon.
Despite her delicate appearance, the strength behind her hammering was enough to make even Dou Zun experts wary.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the area, carrying an otherworldly resonance.
Hearing the rhythmic clangs, Hun Wuyou smiled faintly. This Saintess was the Soul Clan's greatest hope for resurgence.
Xiao Yi Xian's Waiting
Unaware of the storm brewing within the Soul Clan, Xiao Yan had just arrived at the basin near the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
On a large boulder, a white clad figure sat quietly, leaning against a blue eagle.
"Little Blue, do you think he's ever coming back?" Xiao Yi Xian asked softly, her tone tinged with melancholy.
Her gaze swept over the fields of flowers and grass. It was early autumn, and the cooling air and yellowing leaves mirrored the fading hope in her heart.
"Hehe, who said I wouldn't return?"
A familiar, clear voice suddenly rang out from behind her, causing Xiao Yi Xian to freeze.
(To be continued...)
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