Chapter 203: Xiu Luo Soul Severing Art

At this moment, having passed through the Soul Path, he once again arrived at the familiar Treasure Hall within the Soul Path.

"So this is the function of the Soul Token—it can open the Soul Paths in each branch hall. Having a Soul Token is like being a biological son versus an adopted one; without it, you can only exchange for resources held by the branch hall, but with it, you can exchange for all resources owned by the Soul Palace headquarters and even the Soul Sovereign."

Xiao Yan casually placed the Soul Token on the control panel and said, "Exchange for Soul Points."

The next instant, YaoAo's Soul Body emerged from the Soul Token.

"Is this the Soul Realm?! Let me go!! I'll do anything you want!!"

The moment YaoAo's Soul Body appeared, before he could flee, a light barrier enveloped him—he struggled and screamed, but to no avail.

I'm not letting Xiao Yan go—you tried to kill me and now you want me to free you? Do you really think I'm a Sage Emperor reborn?

Waves of Soul Light swept over him, and soon a string of numbers appeared above YaoAo's glowing sphere. The instant he saw the numbers, Xiao Yan's eyes widened and his breath quickened.

"One hundred eighty thousand Soul Points?!!!!!!!!!"

When Xiao Yan saw the six-digit number, even he lost his composure.

If ten thousand Soul Points can hire three or four low-level Dou Huangs, then one hundred thousand Soul Points must mean three or four Dou Zongs—or even one Peak Dou Zong!

One hundred eighty thousand!

"If we calculate by Elixirs, ten thousand Soul Points is roughly equivalent to a Seventh Rank Peak Elixir—so one hundred eighty thousand could exchange for a weaker Eight Grade Pill?!!"

"Can a Seventh-Rank Alchemist's Soul Body really be worth this much? It's just a Soul Body—it's not even the real Alchemist!" Xiao Yan stared in astonishment at the milky-white glowing sphere.

From outside, YaoAo was now completely obscured by the Soul Light.

"No, a mere Seventh-Rank Alchemist's Soul Body shouldn't be worth this much—perhaps his value increased because he's from that Yao Clan."

"Sigh, no wonder the books in my storage ring said the Soul Palace hunts Alchemists and captures Soul Bodies everywhere. The bounty here is so high, it's hard not to be tempted."

Xiao Yan could confidently say the Soul Palace's "bounty" far surpassed that of the Alchemist Guild—great rewards attract brave men.

The Soul Palace doesn't play games—they simply give you money, and you do their bidding.

The Alchemist Guild—or Dan Tower—has a similar mechanism: exchanging Medicinal Materials for Elixirs, and Alchemists exchange Elixirs for Alchemist Guild Points.

When Xiao Yan auctioned off Elixirs before, the main Medicinal Material for a Five-Grade Pill could be exchanged for a Fourth-Rank Pill—that was the standard rate all Alchemist Guilds used to buy Medicinal Materials.

That's why the Alchemist Guild possesses so many precious Medicinal Materials.

Xiao Yan waved his hand, his expression neutral, and said, "Exchange."

"No!" The instant YaoAo's wail echoed, the glowing sphere vanished.

The next instant, the number on Xiao Yan's Soul Token changed from 4100 to 184100.

"You should thank me—staying inside the Soul Token, you'd eventually lose your Spiritual Soul. But now you've been captured by the Soul Sovereign; maybe you'll get a chance to escape prison—or perhaps the Yao Clan will come to ransom you, right?"

As Xiao Yan muttered to himself, he passed through the outermost zone and walked deeper, arriving at the place where Earth-Rank Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques were exchanged.

The glowing spheres here were clearly far fewer, yet still countless as stars in the sky.

"It seems the highest tier here is Earth-Rank and Seven-Grade Elixirs and other Treasures." Looking at the star-strewn glowing spheres above, Xiao Yan sighed bitterly.

Each of these glowing spheres contained at minimum an Earth-Rank Cultivation Method or Dou Technique, and the worst were Six-Grade or higher Elixirs—how could Xiao Yan not be stunned?

He casually drew in one glowing sphere: "Earth-Rank Low-Level Water Attribute Cultivation Method—Raging Tide Technique. After cultivation, your Dou Qi flows continuously like ocean waves, capable of condensing Dou Qi Wave Explosions to amplify the technique's power. Eleven thousand Soul Points."

He released that sphere and drew in another: "Earth-Rank Defensive Dou Technique—Dou Qi Light Mirror. When perfected, it can condense sunlight into a light shield to reflect attacks from below Dou Zong level. Note: Only light-attribute Dou Qi can be cultivated. Defensive power varies with the intensity of the light. Eight thousand Soul Points."

"This would be useless at night—no wonder it's only eight thousand Soul Points."

Xiao Yan examined several more glowing spheres, but none satisfied him. Like the Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques in his storage ring, most required matching Dou Qi attributes—and Xiao Yan had no need for Cultivation Methods, Elixirs, or weapons.

He was, however, intrigued by a Seventh-Rank Pill Formula: Heaven Phoenix Spirit Pill. This Seventh Rank Peak Elixir enhances Soul Force—but its effect only works on Mortal Realm Soul Levels.

"Huh? What's this...?" Xiao Yan's peripheral vision caught a peculiar glowing sphere—within it, faint red light flickered.

"Earth Rank Advanced Grade Soul Technique?!"

"Xiu Luo Soul Severing Art, created by an ancient Dou Sheng of the Soul Sovereign, originated in the Era of the Emperors, perfected in the Emperor An Era. It consists of three forms: Soul Chase, Abyssal Sinking, Xiu Luo. Infused with endless killing intent into the Spiritual Soul, when perfected, it releases the Xiu Luo Killing Intent—Soul Force can sever Heavenly Realm Souls. Kill to stop killing, impossible to defend against. Souls severed vanish utterly, never to be reborn."

Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened, murmuring: "Soul Force can sever a Heavenly Realm Soul?!"

The Heavenly Realm Soul Level is the highest—Mortal Realm, Spirit Realm, then Heavenly Realm Soul. To refine a Ji Pin Dan Yao, one must reach Heavenly Realm Soul Force.

To perfect this technique allows one to sever a Heavenly Realm Soul!!

Xiao Yan read further: "Cultivation Requirement: Soul Level must be Mortal Realm Late Stage or higher. Note: This Soul Technique is extremely potent. Even after refinement, it remains imperfect. If the cultivator cannot control the killing intent, their Spiritual Soul will be clouded by it, becoming a prisoner of slaughter. Not recommended for those with Clan Mark below Sixth Rank."

"Fifteen thousand Soul Points?!"

Looking at the final exclamation mark!

"It requires fifteen thousand Soul Points?! The Earth Rank Advanced Grade Soul Decree I just saw was only a bit over ten thousand—this Soul Technique demands more than the same-rank Soul Decree?!" Xiao Yan stared at the glowing sphere in his palm.

Generally, Dou Techniques are cheaper than Cultivation Methods, and Soul Techniques are likewise cheaper than same-rank Soul Decrees.

But this Soul Technique on his palm was the opposite—it was more expensive!

Gazing at the glowing sphere in his hand, Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, his expression grave.

"If I'm not mistaken, unless this Soul Technique carries extreme risk, it might qualify as Heavenly Rank."

"But I don't have that so-called Clan Mark."

Xiao Yan tossed the glowing sphere in his hand—this was likely the most powerful Soul Technique he had ever seen. His only Soul Technique was Soul Shock, which he knew was pathetic.

"I'm currently at Mortal Realm Late Stage—I can cultivate Soul Severing Art."

"Perhaps... I can use Elixirs to assist in maintaining my Soul's clarity while cultivating this technique."

Crack! Xiao Yan clenched his fist—Boom! The glowing sphere shattered instantly!

(End of Chapter)