Chapter 202: Returning to the Treasure Hall

"Lord, this is our branch's Treasure Hall. Some of the items here were granted by the headquarters, while others were left behind by Soul Envoys in exchange for Soul Points." Guardian Wu said.

Xiao Yan looked at the glowing orbs mounted in the stone niches along the walls—countless of them, perhaps thousands or even tens of thousands—and once again felt the terror of the Soul Realm.

Xiao Yan had entered Mei Du Sha's royal treasury, and even her treasury hadn't held this many treasures; Xiao Yan suspected the Jia Ma Royal Family's vault might be about the same as this place.

Xiao Yan casually picked up one of the glowing orbs, and the next instant, a piece of Soul Information flooded into his mind.

"Arcane-Rank Low-Level Wood Attribute Cultivation Method—Thorned Mystic Wood Art: A wood-element Qi cultivation method. Upon reaching Great Dou Master, one can manifest Qi Armor with wooden thorns growing from it, enhancing defense."

"Required Soul Points: 300."

Xiao Yan hadn't forgotten that his Soul Gathering Spiritual Heart Technique had cost him a thousand Soul Points, and then the information on the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, and some Medicinal Materials had cost several thousand more—he now had only a little over four thousand Soul Points left.

Xiao Yan picked up several more glowing orbs and examined them.

Cultivation Methods were the most valuable; at the same rank, Cultivation Methods cost more than Dou Techniques. A normal Arcane-Rank High-Grade Dou Technique required only a few hundred, but a good Arcane-Rank High-Grade Cultivation Method needed nearly a thousand.

Xiao Yan's Soul Gathering Spiritual Heart Technique was among the highest-tier Arcane-Rank High-Grade Soul Techniques.

One thousand Soul Points could already be exchanged for an excellent Five-Grade Elixir!

Xiao Yan even saw Dou King Pills available for exchange; though inferior to the ones he himself had forged, each Dou King Pill was worth twelve hundred Soul Points.

Although Xiao Yan didn't see the Imperial Ultimate Pill, a Six-Grade Peak Elixir, he guessed its price would be around five to six thousand Soul Points.

Hun Lao Gui had once told Xiao Yan that ten thousand Soul Points could hire three or four low-grade Dou Kings to attack Jia Nan Academy and seize the Falling Heart Flame.

The Imperial Ultimate Pill was probably around the same price—though the most precious Break-Realm Pill should cost seven or eight thousand Soul Points, or even more.

"Do you have Earth-Rank Soul Techniques or Soul Cultivation Methods?" Xiao Yan asked.

As Xiao Yan had expected, Guardian Wu shook his head. "Lord, you may not know—Soul Techniques and Soul Cultivation Methods are never passed outside. To exchange for them, you need not only Soul Points but also a certain rank. Advancing your rank requires reaching a specific threshold of Soul Points or strength."

"Earth-Rank Soul Techniques and Soul Cultivation Methods can only be exchanged by Guardians. Their prices are extremely high—even a low-grade Earth-Rank Soul Technique costs nearly ten thousand Soul Points, and Soul Cultivation Methods are even more expensive. To exchange for either, you must apply to the headquarters."

"But Lord, since you possess the Soul Token, you may be different from us—you may check the Soul Sacrifice Altar."

Upon hearing "Soul Sacrifice," Xiao Yan slightly furrowed his brow—he didn't know if this was coincidence or truly connected to the Soul Sacrifice Old Shop.

"Ordinary Soul Envoys and Guardians don't possess Soul Tokens—we only have Soul Stones. Simply place a Soul Stone on the Soul Sacrifice Altar, and it will automatically absorb the Spiritual Soul Force within and convert it into Soul Points." Guardian Wu pulled a pitch-black stone from his Soul Robe pocket.

Unlike the stone held by the Soul Envoy Xiao Yan had seen outside, Guardian Wu's Soul Stone resembled a beautiful gem, emitting a faint dark luster and radiating strange black vapors.

Guardian Wu placed his Soul Stone upon the Soul Sacrifice Altar, and soon, several lines of text floated above it.

【Soul Points Owned: 6200】

【Earth-Rank Guardian】

Xiao Yan took out his Soul Token and carefully examined it—he was certain this Soul Token was a higher-quality version of a Soul Stone.

Just as a Storage Ring is forged from Storage Stones, and different grades of Storage Stones yield different internal volumes, this Soul Token was likely the same—carved from a superior grade of Soul Stone.

"If I remember correctly, I still have 4,100 Soul Points. Though I could sell some Five-Grade Elixirs to gain Soul Points, even a Dou King Pill is only worth twelve hundred—each low-grade Earth-Rank Soul Technique costs ten thousand. How many Dou King Pills would I have to sell to afford one?"

"Looks like I can only rely on the Soul Body sealed within my Soul Token—YaoAo's Seven-Grade High-Level Alchemist Soul Body. It should be worth some Soul Points, right?"

Xiao Yan silently prayed, hoping YaoAo was worth something. If he hadn't frozen YaoAo's Soul Body with Bone Spirit Cold Fire in the Mo Shou Shan Mai, he wouldn't have dared to come to the Soul Realm.

Click. Xiao Yan's expression remained cold as he casually tossed the Soul Token onto the Altar. He didn't ask Guardian Wu how many Soul Points a Seven-Grade High-Level Alchemist's Soul Body was worth.

Because Xiao Yan knew—even a Earth-Rank Guardian would find a Seven-Grade High-Level Alchemist's Soul Body irresistible.

Xiao Yan wouldn't entrust his life to Hun Xu Zi's reputation. Soul Realm Guardians were no saints. Anyone who had clawed their way up to Guardian rank couldn't possibly be a good man—if he thought so, he'd be an idiot.

The instant the Soul Token was placed on the Soul Sacrifice Altar, it suddenly emitted a powerful soul fluctuation—a pale light shot forth, and the entire altar rang with a deep clang.

"What is this?!" Yun Shan exclaimed—he had never seen such a scene!

"It's the Soul Token! The Soul Token is opening a passage!" Guardian Wu stared at the transforming Altar, his expression utterly astonished.

As a beam of Soul Light from the Soul Token struck the Altar, runes began to appear upon it.

Hum. As a series of sounds resonated, the Altar suddenly opened like a secret gateway—a pitch-black path, as dark as ink, unfurled at incredible speed.

Xiao Yan showed no surprise at the path—he recognized it immediately. It was the Soul Path.

"So Guardian Wu was right—the Soul Token is the key to the Soul Path. Only those who possess it can enter the Soul Realm." Xiao Yan silently calculated within.

Ignoring Yun Shan and Guardian Wu, Xiao Yan stepped onto the Altar, retrieved his Soul Token, and instantly stepped into the Soul Path.

Hum. The sound faded—and Xiao Yan and the Soul Path vanished.

Seeing Xiao Yan vanish instantly, Guardian Wu and Yun Shan stood frozen in shock for a long moment before regaining their senses.

After Xiao Yan disappeared, Yun Shan frowned deeply and looked at Guardian Wu with a serious gaze. "Could Lord Hun Xu Zi have discovered something, and that's why he sent him here?"

"He's entering the Life and Death Gate tomorrow?" Guardian Wu didn't answer directly but asked in return.

"Yes. I heard it's for the Spiritual Flame within the Life and Death Gate," Yun Shan said.

This was news Yun Shan had just learned—he had been in seclusion since becoming a Dou Zong and hadn't even known that Nalan Yanran had entered the Life and Death Gate ahead of schedule and reached the Fifth Gate, receiving Yun Potian's inheritance.

Only a few hours ago had Yun Yun told him that there was a Spiritual Flame inside the Life and Death Gate, and Xiao Yan had come solely to obtain it.

Guardian Wu stared at the direction where Xiao Yan had vanished, lost in thought for a long time without speaking.

(End of Chapter)