Chapter 280: Spoils of War

"How is it? Everything has been cleared out, right?" Yao Lao scanned the miserable state of the Soul Hall with indifference, his heart as calm as an ancient well, and asked softly to those who had followed him.

"Yes! The space was sealed in advance; not a single one escaped."

The Flower Sect Supreme Great Elder looked at Yao Lao with a hint of heartache; this old fellow had once suffered the most severe betrayal of his life at the hands of the Soul Hall.

Now, the great vengeance had finally been avenged.

"Then we should be leaving too!" A relaxed smile suddenly appeared on Yao Lao's handsome face, "Otherwise, if the Soul Hall's reinforcements arrive, it won't be easy to leave!"

At this moment...

"Old fellow, there seem to be some good things here!" Huo Yun Lao Zu shouted, startling Yao Lao, who had been lost in his own world.

"Hmm?" Yao Lao frowned. Good things?

When he followed the sound and the guidance to rush over, he saw Huo Yun Lao Zu looking ahead with a face full of surprise. When Yao Lao's gaze fell upon the pure white ball of light in the center, his eyes could not look away.

Even though the place was still dark and the wails of souls seemed to still echo in his ears, Yao Lao did not care.

"These are likely the Soul Origins collected by the Soul Hall for nearly a hundred years; now they have become our gain!" Beside him, Huo Yun Lao Zu said with a beaming smile.

After releasing a large number of captured Soul Bodies just now, he had continued to search and luckily discovered these things in the depths of the Ren Dian.

"Hmm." Noticing the human faces flashing within the Soul Origins, Yao Lao's expression suddenly became complex.

"To collect these things, I don't know how many lives they have harmed!"

Hearing Yao Lao's words, the others who had arrived afterward also looked silent.

Then, Yao Lao changed the subject: "Since we have encountered them today, let us help them find release! The suffering of these people will be counted one by one against the Soul Hall by us."

"Hehe~, the Soul Hall's many years of effort have instead become a wedding dress for us."

At this time, the Flower Sect Supreme Great Elder suddenly said: "Yao Chen, what level is your Soul Power at now?"

"Me?" Yao Lao was stunned for a moment: "Probably at the Tian Jing Wan Man!"

Back when Yao Lao was still Venerable Yao, his soul had already infinitely approached the Heavenly Realm Late Stage. Although the hardships of these years had made Yao Lao suffer greatly, they had also greatly enhanced the resilience of his original soul.

Following that, he was reborn in a body and consumed various Ninth Grade resources; now that his cultivation had reached a Two-Star Dou Sheng, all these factors combined had pushed Yao Lao's Soul Power to the level of the Heavenly Realm Great Perfection.

It had even moved a little further forward. However, it was still extremely far from that legendary realm, and he had yet to touch it.

Subsequently, Yao Lao seemed to realize something and said in surprise: "You..."

Sure enough, the Supreme Great Elder's beautiful eyes held deep anticipation: "If you absorb these Soul Origins, could you advance to that legendary level?"

Once these words were spoken, the others looked at Yao Chen with expectation, wanting to get a positive answer. That realm—it seemed it hadn't been heard of for many years!

However, Yao Lao gave a bitter smile, looking helpless, "How is that possible?"

"The difference between the Heavenly Realm Great Perfection and an Emperor Realm Soul is like the difference between clouds and mud. Although these Soul Origins don't look like a small amount, they would at most allow this old man to touch that level; wanting to break through is not that easy!"

Although the others were somewhat disappointed by this, they could also accept it. If breaking through were so easy, would there not have been any news of it for so many years?

However, as if remembering something, Yao Lao's expression turned ugly: "You say..."

"Is the soul collection the Soul Hall has been doing for so many years meant for someone to break through to an Emperor Realm Soul?"

"What?" The crowd was shaken, and they turned to think seriously, only to discover with horror that this matter did not seem incomprehensible.

Compared to enduring through time and not even being able to touch an Emperor Realm Soul until death, this method of absorbing Soul Origins could be said to be quite simple. In this way, the Soul Hall's behavior over the years was also explained.

However, Yao Lao then dismissed this thought, "Not necessarily..."

"It has been so many years; it is impossible that they haven't been able to nurture even one Emperor Realm Soul."

Just this century's collection from the Ren Dian was enough to bring a Heavenly Soul to the level of Great Perfection. Not to mention there were also the other Tian Dian and Di Dian.

And the Soul Hall had existed in the Central Plains since the destruction of the Xiao Clan. Over so many years, countless high-level Alchemists and experts had died at the hands of the Soul Hall; their harvest could have long since cultivated several Emperor Realm Souls.

Hearing Yao Lao's consolation, the others did not feel much relief. It would have been fine without someone pointing it out, but with Yao Lao's hint, they vaguely felt they were already approaching the truth.

But since the Soul Hall had not stopped its actions, either their goal was not here, or the person they wanted to cultivate was not just one. But regardless of which, the other party had grand designs, and they had to heighten their vigilance.

"Let's split these Soul Origins directly after we go back."

Although these origins could save Yao Lao from who knows how many years of bitter cultivation and were quite enviable, he also knew that the destruction of the Ren Dian this time was not his achievement alone; how could he swallow the spoils of war alone?

However, contrary to Yao Lao's expectations, the others looked at each other and revealed smiles.

Huo Yun Lao Zu even laughed and patted Yao Lao on the shoulder: "We have unanimously decided to leave all these things to you, old boy."

Yao Lao's expression changed, and he was about to speak, but was interrupted: "Among us, only you are an Alchemist. The stronger your Soul Power, the greater your use to us."

"You old fellow, don't decline. If you really feel bad about it, just refine a few Ninth Grade Pills as a thank-you gift!"

As he spoke, Huo Yun Lao Zu was still muttering, "Later, let's go and take down the Di Dian and the Tian Dian to see if we can push you to an Emperor Realm Soul. By then..."

"Hahahaha~"

Yao Lao looked around; the others were also nodding kindly. Feeling a warmth in his heart, he cupped his hands and said: "Many thanks to you all. I will definitely repay this kindness in the future."

Huo Yun Lao Zu said very generously: "You are our face; how can it work if your strength isn't a bit higher!"

"Alright, alright!" Seeing that Huo Yun Lao Zu was about to continue, the Flower Sect Supreme Great Elder said impatiently:

"Let's go quickly, or the Soul Hall's reinforcements will arrive."

After taking away the Soul Hall's collection of many years, Yao Lao looked at the great hall that looked like a devouring beast. His fingers moved slightly, and a vast, peerless force erupted, fiercely shooting toward the great hall.

He then left without looking back. Immediately after, a violent explosion resounded through the heavens and earth.

He casually leveled a mountain wall and carved a line of large characters on it with Dou Qi:

"The killers, Heavenly Mansion, Yao Chen!"

When the Soul Hall's reinforcements finally arrived, all they saw were devastated mountains, flying flesh and blood, corpses strewn everywhere, and the Ren Dian that had been demolished into ruins.

"Damn it!"

After Ye Jianxin and the others left, Hun Miesheng and the Vice Hall Master, who had finally arrived at the Ren Dian, looked at the inscription in the distance with dark faces. The former waved his sleeve, instantly leveling the entire mountain.

Hun Miesheng's face was as heavy as water, and he muttered to himself: "Very good, Heavenly Mansion, is it!"

"And Yao Chen, I didn't kill you back then, and I even let you become a Dou Sheng! You think that with a little strength, having become a slightly larger ant, you can provoke my Soul Hall?"

Looking in the direction where Yao Chen and the others had left, Hun Miesheng calmed the turmoil in his heart, summoned the Vice Hall Master, and wore a cold smile:

"From now on, our Soul Hall shall properly look after this so-called 'Heavenly Mansion'!"

"Yes!" The Vice Hall Master revealed a cruel smile.

This was merely a beginning!