Chapter 268: The Soul Sovereign Appreciates You

The great battle ended, and the Inner Court spectators stared at each other, bewildered and speechless.

No one had expected the battle to end so abruptly, in such a manner.

"What was that just now? How did the person suddenly disappear?"

"It seemed like teleportation—Zhong Zhou has some kind of space wormholes that let people instantly travel from one city to another."

"Did you see what Dou Technique Xiao Yan just used? That was incredible!"

In an instant, countless murmurs erupted throughout the Inner Court; most could only perceive the surface, for this battle had already surpassed the comprehension of nearly everyone present.

Whether it was the Dou Di bloodline, the Earth Rank Advanced Grade Dou Technique, or the possession of Three Infernal Flames fused into the Buddha Fury Lotus—these things were like myths to the Inner Court students who were even still Dou Spirits or Great Dou Masters.

To them, it was simply: Wow, so powerful.

Even Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing, both Dou Kings, could not comprehend the battle; they only knew that if they had been in it, Ling Quan could have killed them instantly.

Yet even such a Ling Quan was defeated by Xiao Yan!

At that moment, Xiao Yan's silhouette, bathed in the last rays of the setting sun, stretched long and solitary upon the charred, blackened earth where the Fire Lotus had burned.

Though Xiao Yan had won against Ling Quan, his silhouette radiated profound loneliness, carrying an inexplicable sorrow and grief.

Zi Yan tilted her head, gazing at Xiao Yan's back, murmuring to herself: "Human emotions are so complicated."

Many perceptive individuals also noticed one thing: Xun Er had left Jia Nan Academy, and this battle had likely erupted because of her departure.

"Let's go. Leave him alone for a while."

"Sigh… Xun Er's departure from Jia Nan Academy will be a heavy blow to Xiao Yan, to the Xiao Clan, and to Xiao Hall."

Watching the sunset fade and nightfall approach, everyone wisely refrained from disturbing the "heartbroken" man, granting Xiao Yan ample space.

Xiao Yan kept staring at the spot where Xun Er had vanished; no one knew what he was thinking at that moment.

Slowly, as the sun sank and its light vanished, darkness gradually engulfed the earth, and the place where Xiao Yan stood was soon swallowed by night.

When night fully replaced day, and the entire Jia Nan Academy and the entire Black Horn Region were cloaked in darkness, wisps of black flame slowly rose from the charred ground beside Xiao Yan.

These black flames matched the color of night; even upon close inspection, they were nearly invisible.

The next instant, the black flames instantly enveloped the space where Xiao Yan stood; Xiao Yan showed no panic, for he knew what this was.

The Sub-Flame of Xu Wu Tong Yan—not the nascent Sub-Flame Xiao Yan possessed, but a fully matured Sub-Flame.

"Hehehe, using immense Soul Force to balance, fuse, and collide the Infernal Flames, exploiting their inherent properties to cause destruction—this is a decent Dou Technique."

The black flames dispersed, leaving only darkness; the place where Xiao Yan stood was no longer the Inner Court, but the void of Space—the Xu Wu Tong Yan had pulled him into the Void.

Xiao Yan's eyes ignited with wisps of black flame; only when the black flames enveloped his eyes could he clearly perceive his surroundings.

Calmly gazing at the distance, Xiao Yan said: "I thought your Soul Sovereign would keep hiding forever."

Hearing Xiao Yan's mockery, Hun Xu Zi emerged from the darkness without anger, chuckling: "Hehe, though you do hold some value to my Soul Sovereign, it is not enough for us to go to war against the Gu Clan for your sake."

When the Gu Clan appeared, Xiao Yan had once used the Soul Token given by Hun Xu Zi to send a message, for from the information left by Xiao Xuan, Xiao Yan had learned one thing: inside the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion lay an Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill.

Xiao Yan thus understood what the Soul Sovereign had originally sought, and so he held some value to them.

But as Xiao Yan had guessed, the Soul Sovereign would never wage war against the Gu Clan now—not even if his value were greater, they would still not dare.

Naturally, Xiao Yan had never placed his hopes on the Soul Sovereign.

Hun Xu Zi scrutinized Xiao Yan and said: "From Three-Star Dou Zhe to Dou Wang in four years, and you possess multiple Infernal Flames—acceptable."

Advancing from Dou Zhe to Dou Wang in four years—one major realm per year—this speed was astonishingly terrifying, whether in Jia Ma Empire, Jia Nan Academy, the Black Horn Region, or even the entire Northwest Region.

But to Hun Xu Zi, this pace was merely "acceptable"; the lower-ranked Infernal Flames held no allure for him at all—these Infernal Flames were less valuable than fully cultivating the Sub-Flame of Xu Wu Tong Yan.

Hun Xu Zi's eyes narrowed slightly, their depth immense, as he murmured: "Half-step Common Realm Great Perfection."

Yet the speed of his Soul Force advancement startled even Hun Xu Zi.

He knew well that Xiao Yan cultivated only a very ordinary Arcane-Rank High-Level Soul Scripture—such a Scripture could yield some improvement, but very little.

Four years ago, Xiao Yan had not even cultivated a Soul Scripture; more accurately, it was only three years ago that he passed the Soul Sect's Trial to earn the right to cultivate it.

Yet now he had already reached Half-step Common Realm Great Perfection!

Even among the Soul Sovereign, who specialize in Soul Force cultivation, this pace was extremely fast—let alone that Xiao Yan lacked a profound Soul Scripture and possessed none of the Soul Sovereign's Dou Di Bloodline.

When Hun Xu Zi first encountered Xiao Yan, he had not even glanced at the Bone Spirit Cold Fire. Infernal Flames meant nothing to him—he already possessed the Sub-Flame of Xu Wu Tong Yan Tian Zi Huo, second only to its original form; a second Infernal Flame held no meaning for him, for he was not a cultivator of the Burn Scripture.

But Xiao Yan's innate, immense Soul Force had surprised even Hun Xu Zi—hence why he had dropped a Soul Token for him.

The outcome proved him right: Xiao Yan's Soul Force had advanced far faster than his Cultivation Realm. Compared to cultivating Dou Qi, Xiao Yan's talent for Soul Force cultivation was terrifying.

"Hehehe, good, very good. Perhaps you truly might reach Heaven Realm Great Perfection Soul Force—even surpass it." The Soul Sovereign's goal was to turn the Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill into a finished Pill, but Hun Xu Zi alone was insufficient.

If he had another Alchemist with Heaven Realm Great Perfection Soul Force to assist him, the success rate could rise by at least two tenths.

Even among the Soul Sovereign, who specialize in Soul Force, reaching Heaven Realm Great Perfection Soul Force was extremely difficult—let alone possessing Alchemist talent. The entire Soul Sovereign had only Hun Xu Zi who met this stringent condition.

After a long silence, Xiao Yan's gaze suddenly sharpened, a profound determination flickering deep within his eyes.

No one yet realized that such a minor change would trigger a colossal storm—the butterfly's wingbeat had already unleashed a tempest beyond stopping.

Xiao Yan suddenly formed his five fingers into a sword, thrusting with all his strength—his palm plunged violently into his own abdomen!!

Hun Xu Zi's brow furrowed—he could not fathom what Xiao Yan was suddenly doing. But the next instant, his face turned pale; his emotional shock shattered the surrounding space, his Heaven Realm Great Perfection Soul Force fracturing the Void.

For Hun Xu Zi saw: Xiao Yan had pulled something out from within his own body.

"Tuoshe Ancient Jade!"

Hun Xu Zi stared at the blood-smeared Ancient Jade; even he, who scorned Infernal Flames, could not suppress his accelerated breathing. As the First Alchemist of the Soul Sovereign, he could not control his emotions—clearly, what this Tuoshe Ancient Jade represented was immense.

Yet soon, Hun Xu Zi calmed himself, his gaze piercing as he fixed his eyes on Xiao Yan, unable for the moment to fathom what Xiao Yan was planning.

"So the Ancient Jade was never taken by the Gu Clan…" Hun Xu Zi was not surprised, for he had already sensed something peculiar from the Ancient Jade.

A powerful force sealed it, impervious to Soul Force detection—he had guessed correctly: this was the Flame Sealing set by Xiao Xuan, meant to prevent anyone from finding the Ancient Jade.

No wonder the Gu Clan had turned the Xiao Clan upside down and still could not find the Ancient Jade—who could have imagined that the Xiao Clan's successive Family Heads had hidden the Ancient Jade within their own bodies!

Too insane!

"You've taken out the Tuoshe Ancient Jade—so you must know what it represents, correct?" Hun Xu Zi remained calm; the moment Xiao Yan pulled it out, the Tuoshe Ancient Jade was no longer his to escape.

"The key to becoming an Emperor." Sheng Yan quickly healed the wound; Xiao Yan toyed with the Ancient Jade, speaking in a calm, indifferent tone.

Xiao Yan had learned of the Xiao Clan's past from the Life and Death Gate; naturally, he knew what this Tuoshe Ancient Jade represented, and that Ling Quan's earlier mention of a key referred precisely to the Tuoshe Ancient Jade.

The Tuoshe Ancient Jade is the key to opening the tomb of the last Dou Emperor, the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave Mansion, where an Emperor Pill Embryonic Pill remains.

He who obtains the Emperor Pill becomes an Emperor!

"Yes, the key to becoming an Emperor. Hehehe, my Soul Sovereign destroyed your Xiao Clan originally for this Ancient Jade—and now you bring it out yourself." Hun Xu Zi showed no caution; he had already guessed that Xiao Yan must have learned what happened in the past and claimed the Xiao Clan's legacy.

Xiao Yan pulled out a handkerchief, gently wiped away the bloodstains, and toyed with the Tuoshe Ancient Jade in his hand; his eyes were as calm as still water, as if he saw nothing more than an ordinary jade pendant.

"To the Gu Clan, to your Soul Sovereign, this is the key to becoming a Dou Emperor. But to the present-day Xiao Clan, it is nothing but a death sentence." Peng—one sound—he casually tossed the Tuoshe Ancient Jade to Hun Xu Zi, as carelessly as if discarding a coin.

"You must gather all eight Ancient Jades to form one complete piece to open the Ruins of the Tuoshe Ancient Jade; a single Tuoshe Ancient Jade is worth less than a Gold Coin."

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, even Hun Xu Zi paused in shock. Yes, Xiao Yan was right—without all eight, the Ancient Jades held no value and would only invite death.

But! Faced with the temptation of becoming a Dou Emperor, Xiao Yan could treat it so lightly!

"Hehehe, hehe, hahaha! Interesting—even the weakest of the Ling Clan and Stone Clan still refuse to abandon the Tuoshe Ancient Jade. No one can resist the temptation of becoming an Emperor."

"True, incomplete Ancient Jades are meaningless. But no Dou Emperor Family has the courage to abandon the hope of becoming an Emperor—not even your ancestor, Xiao Xuan."

Hun Xu Zi's eyes gleamed with unusual light; he looked at Xiao Yan, so bold and resolute, and offered a twisted smile: "The Gu Clan looks down on you—but I, Hun Xu Zi—no, my Soul Sovereign—admire you!"

(End of Chapter)