Chapter 222: Annihilation of Xue Zong (10,000 Characters Completed)

Xiao Yan no longer hesitated and stepped into the Space Lock.

The instant Xiao Yan entered the Space Lock, a spiritual fluctuation swept over his Soul Robe, and a character "Yan" appeared on the robe, formed by Soul Force.

Soul Envoys have no right to bear titles; only Guardians and above are eligible.

Guardians' Soul Robes do not display their titles externally; only when entering the Soul Palace are titles written in Soul Force added to the robes for easy identification.

"There's a significant difference between this branch of the Black Horn Region and the one built on Yun Lan Sect's mountain." Xiao Yan surveyed the surroundings; unlike the Yun Lan Sect's branch perched atop a mountain, this one stood on a vast plain.

As far as the eye could see, there were no obstructions—nothing but the massive black Soul Palace in the distance, not even a single tree.

Yet this Black Horn Region branch was "thriving with people"; visibly, many Soul Envoys clad in black robes carried black chains, binding numerous Soul Bodies.

High-level Dou Spirits can produce Soul Bodies; normally, Soul Envoys and Guardians without Soul Tokens capture them using Hun Chains.

These chains, forged by special methods, not only seal Soul Force to harm the Soul Bodies, but once bound, escape is impossible.

In the lawless chaos of the Black Horn Region, countless murders occur daily—this is precisely the kind of place the Soul Palace loves most.

"Yan? Guardian!! Salute, Guardian Yan!"

As Xiao Yan passed a Soul Envoy preparing to leave, the Envoy, upon seeing the title on Xiao Yan's Soul Robe, dropped to one knee and bowed his head, shouting.

Hearing the cry, several Soul Envoy squads—either preparing to hunt Soul Bodies or directly to kill and harvest souls—turned to look at Xiao Yan.

When they saw the Soul Force characters on Xiao Yan's robe, they too knelt down and bowed their heads, shouting.

"Salute, Guardian Yan!!"

Everywhere Xiao Yan passed, the Soul Envoys who normally hunted Soul Bodies amid the Black Storms all knelt and shouted, losing their former arrogance.

Xiao Yan said nothing, merely walking calmly through the crowd, unhurried, until he reached the Soul Palace's main gate.

With a creak, the gate opened automatically; Xiao Yan stepped inside.

Seeing Xiao Yan enter the Soul Palace, the kneeling Soul Envoys rose one by one, their faces filled with fear and confusion.

"Wasn't this branch under Guardian Xuan's command? Why is another Guardian here now?"

"Maybe Guardian Xuan's friend just happened to pass through."

"Yan… I wonder what rank this Guardian Yan is, and why he's come here."

Inside the Soul Palace, some Soul Envoys were exchanging Soul Bodies for Soul Points; what surprised Xiao Yan was that this branch didn't just hold many Soul Bodies—it also had a Dou Huang-level Soul Body chained up.

"Even a Dou Huang's Soul Body is here—if this were the Soul Palace of a Tian Ji Protector, wouldn't it possibly hold Dou Zong Soul Bodies too!" Xiao Yan thought to himself.

"There are no Alchemists here—probably because the Black Horn Region has no Alchemist Guild."

As Xiao Yan observed the branch's condition, he walked to the innermost Sacrificial Altar, where an elderly man sat cross-legged, cultivating.

The Sacrificial Altar emitted waves of Soul Light; Xiao Yan's Soul Force Perception detected that these lights were formed by the accumulation of countless tiny Soul Lights in the air—effectively accelerating cultivation of the Soul Scripture.

Sensing Xiao Yan's arrival, the old man slowly opened his eyes: "Yan? Are you the newly promoted Ren Ji Guardian of this branch?"

Xiao Yan smirked coldly, pulling out his Soul Token from his Storage Ring; a clear "Tian" character shot out from the token.

"Tian Ji Protector!! And he possesses a Soul Token!!" Guardian Xuan panicked, leaping down from the Sacrificial Altar.

"I had no idea the Master had arrived; my apologies for failing to greet you properly." Guardian Xuan understood well—any Tian Ji Protector granted a Soul Token was nearly ready to ascend to Elder status; he bowed deeply at ninety degrees, adaptable and humble.

Only those exceptionally outstanding among Tian Ji Protectors receive Soul Tokens in advance.

"May I ask, Master, what is your purpose in coming here?" Guardian Xuan forced out a strained smile, raising his head slightly to inquire.

Xiao Yan lowered his voice and spoke slowly: "Nothing more than gathering some Soul Envoys to assist me in attacking a location."

Upon hearing this, Guardian Xuan's face turned pale: "Are you planning to attack Jia Nan Academy?!"

In the entire Black Horn Region, only Jia Nan Academy warranted the Soul Palace's intervention!

"Not Jia Nan Academy. I intend to attack Xue Zong. I need one high-level Dou Huang and five Dou Wangs."

"Xue Zong??" Guardian Xuan looked puzzled; a faction led by a single Dou Huang could be easily wiped out by him—why would a Tian Ji Protector need to borrow men?

Xiao Yan had already prepared his excuse: calmly, he said, "Xue Zong hides something valuable—I cannot act openly, or it will draw suspicion from other factions."

"Understood. If the Master does not mind, I am willing to contribute to the destruction of Xue Zong."

Xiao Yan's heart leapt—damn, these Soul Palace people were too cooperative.

Xiao Yan had considered asking Mei Du Sha Queen for help, but he doubted she'd agree, so he ultimately chose outsourcing.

"Hmm. If this succeeds, I'll record your contribution."

"Thank you, Master!"

Half a day later, at Xue Zong's location.

Seeing the dense sea of black-robed figures amid the Black Storm, Fan Lao's face turned deathly pale—especially when he saw Guardian Xuan beside Xiao Yan, his cold, grotesque face—his complexion turned as white as frost.

"Dou… Dou Zong!!"

"Why is this happening? Why?!"

In the Black Horn Region, major battles erupted daily; even a Dou Huang faction like Xue Zong could vanish in an instant if careless.

But Fan Lao couldn't understand—what had he done wrong to draw the wrath of a Dou Zong and so many powerful warriors?

When he saw Guardian Xuan shatter the sect's protective Array with a single palm, Fan Lao realized: in open combat, Xue Zong had no chance of victory.

"Hand over that Residual Map. It's not something you're fit to possess."

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Fan Ling and Fan Lao finally realized—they had offended someone beyond their reach.

The outcome was inevitable: even as Fan Lao desperately tried to let his son break through, escape was impossible under the Soul Palace's encirclement.

Xiao Yan felt no sympathy for Xue Zong—he had seen inside the sect on arrival; its cultivation methods were demonic, requiring human blood to advance.

Inside Xue Zong, it was like a hellish wasteland.

Eventually, Xiao Yan found the third Residual Map of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame in Xue Zong's secret chamber.

"Just one more left…" Xiao Yan stared at the three Residual Maps in his hand; when pieced together, only one corner remained missing.

If he found the final fragment, he might locate the Pure Lotus Demon Flame before even the Dou Emperor Families—and claim it first!

Finally, Xiao Yan tossed ten thousand Soul Points to Guardian Xuan and returned to Jia Nan Academy.

"Ten thousand Soul Points can easily destroy a Dou Huang faction—this Soul Palace's power truly makes one lose oneself." Xiao Yan shook his head, deeply understanding the terror of the Soul Palace; no wonder those Soul Envoys desperately captured Spiritual Souls to advance to Guardian, and Guardians sought even higher ranks.

With a flick of his Mysterious Ring, a cold jade brocade box containing the Yin-Yang Dragon Elixir and a scroll of its Pill Formula appeared in Xiao Yan's palm.

"Why is there a Pill Formula for the Yin-Yang Dragon Elixir in this Mysterious Ring? What connection did the person who refined this Yin-Yang Dragon Elixir have with the ring's owner?"

The Yin-Yang Dragon Elixir is a Seven-Grade Pill; even within the Mysterious Ring, Seven-Grade Pill Formulas were not numerous, so Xiao Yan remembered every single one vividly.

In the end, Xiao Yan found no connection between the Yin-Yang Dragon Elixir and its Pill Formula, so he swallowed the Elixir whole.

After all, the Elixir's effects would persist until the day of cocoon-breaking and reincarnation.

"Hmm, it's a bit bitter. The Pill Formula could use some sugar added."

For the remaining time, Xiao Yan did not leave Jia Nan Academy, nor did he cause trouble—he settled down and diligently cultivated, waiting for the Inner Court Selection Exam to begin.

Time slipped by in half a month. As one of Jia Nan Academy's greatest events, the so-called Inner Court Selection Exam naturally drew immense attention; on this selection exam, the academy's usual celebrities would appear, a tremendous attraction for male and female students who regarded them as idols or objects of affection.

Thus, though the academy had long prepared the largest Guang Chang as a venue, it was still packed with a sea of people; countless Jia Nan Academy students fought to squeeze into the seating, and from the stands, every direction was filled with a sea of black heads and a roar that pierced the clouds.

This vast Guang Chang was circular, with stone steps spiraling upward around its perimeter, resembling an arena; those seated around it could clearly see the entire field.

And the class led by Ruolin Mentor was naturally among them.

"Sigh, you take over as Mentor from now on." Ruolin Mentor helplessly looked at the young man beside her; she had never imagined that in just four months, Xiao Yan had truly raised Xiao Meng, Xiao Yueliang, and Xiao Mei's strength to the level required for the Inner Court.

The selection exam had begun; the first round was a random draw, two-on-two, points-based match.

To prevent strong students from being eliminated early by tough opponents, each student was randomly paired with three opponents; winning two out of three matches granted qualification for the Inner Court.

Xiao Meng, Xiao Yueliang, and Xiao Mei all won their first-round matches.

In just four months, they had raised their Cultivation Realm to High-Level Dou Shi, and their strength was formidable—this left Ruolin Mentor utterly humiliated.

Even Xiao Ning and Xiao Yu reached the Great Dou Shi Cultivation Realm, their attacks razor-sharp; they defeated their opponents with a single strike, earning thunderous cheers and applause.

Xiao Yan grinned wryly: "Mentor, you're joking. I'm just a lowly Alchemist; without you laying a solid foundation for them, even if I had more Elixirs, it would be useless."

In the Guang Chang, two figures—a man and a woman—dashed and crossed paths; the violent Battle Qi surging from their palm clashes triggered frequent exclamations from the stands, yet nearly half the gazes on the stands clearly lingered on the slender, light-blue-robed girl whose graceful figure moved with ethereal lightness.

The two figures clashed again, perilously close; the light-blue silhouette suddenly halted, golden light blazing from her palms, launching a streak of light that struck the young man squarely on the chest, the powerful force sending him reeling out of the arena.

"Senior Student, I owe you courtesy!" After defeating her opponent, the blue-robed girl smiled faintly, bowing with perfect etiquette toward the handsome young man.

"Xun Er, you truly live up to your reputation as the most promising student this year—I've lost." Though defeated, the handsome youth was straightforward; he smiled, cast a deep glance at the blue-robed girl as pure and refreshing as a blue lotus, then withdrew gracefully.

"This round: Xiao Xun'er wins!"

Hearing the referee's call, Xiao Yan looked at the girl in the arena. Though Xun Er's strength had long reached Great Dou Shi, even nearing Dou Ling, her kind heart deliberately suppressed her power, letting her opponent fight over a dozen moves before finally defeating her.

"Brother Xiao Yan." Slowly approaching, Xun Er smiled sweetly; that sweet smile made everyone around feel as if bathed in spring breeze.

But when they saw Xun Er sitting beside Xiao Yan, laughing and chatting, that spring breeze instantly turned to blood and storm; they muttered curses against Xiao Yan under their breath.

If looks could kill, Xiao Yan would already be dead and buried.

On a well-positioned stand, a youth in white robes stared darkly at Xiao Yan and growled: "I'll defeat him to prove he's unworthy of Xun Er."

The youth in white robes was none other than Bai Shan, who had once blocked Xiao Yan—a rising star among Jia Nan Academy's younger generation, whose momentum rivaled Xun Er's, a strong contender for the top five.

"Pfft, this is the man Xun Er keeps talking about? He doesn't even look impressive, and his strength doesn't seem remarkable. Better to follow me than him—what's so good about those stinking men? All they think with is their lower halves." On another prime spot on the stands, a girl in red robes crossed her arms, leaning against an iron pipe; her alluring curves were accentuated by the straight metal, and as she gazed at Xiao Yan's location, she sneered with disdain.

Clearly, Xiao Yan was another kind of celebrity.

"Little Enchantress, sit properly! In public like this, such recklessness—what decorum is this?" Beside the red-robed girl, an old man with white hair and beard glared at her posture and unorthodox words, puffing his mustache in anger.

The Vice Dean glanced at Xiao Yan, his eyes filled with intrigue; he murmured: "Strange—I can't perceive his Cultivation Realm? There's a powerful Soul Force blocking me—is it a Treasure, or...?"

The red-robed girl gave the old man—who clearly held high status in Jia Nan Academy—a disdainful glare and snorted: "You're the Vice Dean of the Outer Court? If it were me, I'd have expelled that Xiao Yan long ago—he vanished for over a year and never attended a single class. Can he still be called a Jia Nan Academy student?"

The Vice Dean looked at his granddaughter and said: "Don't be so arrogant. That boy's strength may not be weaker than yours. He's the same age as you—you claim to be unbeatable among peers—I don't think you can defeat him easily."

"Heh, you overestimate him. Only Xun Er is worthy of competing with me." The Little Enchantress sneered; in her eyes, only Xun Er mattered.

The matches in the arena continued. Xiao Yan's Soul Force swept across the entire field; he frowned, gazing at three directions in the arena.

"Jia Nan Academy does have some real talent—these three's Cultivation Realms are higher than Xiao Yu's and Xiao Ning's. A bit troublesome. Should I eliminate them secretly?" Xiao Yan smirked, silently praying he'd face these three in the first round.

Heaven did not grant his wish; Xiao Yan's first-round opponent was a Nine Star Dou Shi youth.

"You're Xiao Yan? Hmph, let me see if you're worthy of Xun Er!" With a sharp clang, a long spear was drawn.

"Wave Stacking!"

"Get lost." Xiao Yan glanced at him, flicked his finger, and a red flame shot out—BOOM—the flame exploded, blasting the man clean out of the arena.

Xiao Yan didn't even turn to look; he leapt down from the Arena Stage. He wasn't Xun Er—against these Outer Court students, if he needed more than one move, he'd lose.

Only the referee stood stunned, and the entire crowd was left speechless.

Xiao Yan had never fought in Jia Nan Academy—he'd only spoken. Everyone's impression of him was lecher, rogue, freeloader.

"So strong..."

"Real Fire!! Has he reached Dou Ling?!"

"You don't need to be Dou Ling or a Fourth-Rank Alchemist to use Real Fire—some Fire Attribute Battle Qi cultivators can refine Fire Seeds and borrow fire."

"But he did it in one move..."

On the stands, except for Xiao Yu and others who knew him, everyone else who didn't understand Xiao Yan gaped with shock, staring at the boy who struck once and leapt off the Arena Stage.

Many young girls with fluttering hearts couldn't help but gaze with stars in their eyes. Who could have imagined that Xue Beng, a Nine Star Dou Shi, had been defeated in a single round—not even a full exchange, and even after unleashing his strongest Dou Technique—by a mere finger flick?

Even the referee forgot to declare the match over—such a jaw-dropping ending.

On the opposite stands, Bai Shan crossed his arms, frowning slightly as he stared at the black-robed youth standing straight in the center of the Guang Chang. After a long while, he exhaled slowly and smiled faintly: "Not bad. You truly have some skill. Now, you're worthy of being taken seriously. If the chance arises, I'll face you myself."

Amid the roaring cheers and murmurs of the crowd, Xiao Yan paid no heed—he was focused only on how to get his clan members into the Inner Court, even seizing the top five spots to claim the rumored lavish rewards.

"I wonder if I can use Elixirs..."

(End of Chapter)