Chapter 353: Breakthrough, Emperor Realm Soul

As the most important place within the Soul Hall, the Soul Origin accumulated inside the Tian Dian is not something other branch halls can compare to.

However, Xiao Han still harbored some hidden concerns in his heart, until...

"Luck isn't bad this time!" Looking at the crystalline light mass spanning a thousand zhang in the depths of the great hall, the corners of Xiao Han's mouth nearly stretched to his ears. Clearly, Hun Miesheng had not yet had time to transfer the Soul Origin of the Tian Dian, and now it was all his for the taking.

Suddenly, catching a glimpse of a pained face flashing and vanishing on the Soul Origin, Xiao Han's expression turned gloomy. He sighed, and with a light wave of his sleeve, biting cold air covered the entire hall.

"The current Soul Hall no longer exists."

"This time, let me help you find release."

After walking out of the great hall, Xiao Han snapped his fingers lightly.

"Boom!"

The magnificent black hall behind him collapsed with a roar, subsequently buried under endless wind and snow.

Looking up at the dazzling light mass overhead that resembled a small sun, Xiao Han's fingers moved like butterflies among flowers, nimbly forming several hand seals, followed by a low shout.

"World Purification!"

As the words fell, the pillar of light standing on the earth trembled violently, then slowly disintegrated. At the same time, a soft halo radiated from the dome, and snowflakes like willow catkins drifted down.

"Hum~"

Just then, a faint sound came from the air, and the surrounding mountain peaks collapsed and crumbled without warning, as if they were blocks of tofu...

When Xiao Han left, the ghost mist that had shrouded the area for years was swept away. Warm, gentle sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone upon the ice plains for the first time in ages. The Shigui Mountain Range in the Western Region of the Central Plains had vanished without a trace; what remained...

Was merely a snow-covered ruin, higher than ordinary places and frozen year-round, along with countless ice sculptures displaying expressions of terror.

"This is perhaps the only use you all have for this continent," Xiao Han muttered.

Although he had caused such massive destruction and impact, Xiao Han had not expended much Dou Qi.

All this power originated from the Soul Hall members whose Dou Qi Xiao Han had drained. Their Dou Qi was converted in attribute by Xiao Han through an array, ultimately turning into a heavenly scourge that cleansed this filthy world, with effects that would linger for a long time.

Not long after Xiao Han departed, experts in the Central Plains sensed the anomaly in the Shigui Mountain Range. When they came to investigate, they witnessed a scene that shattered their worldview.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Hundreds of years later, the world gradually forgot that this ice-covered ruin had once been a cold, sunless mountain range. They only knew that after a great battle, an incomparably powerful Dou Technique had altered the landscape and climate, giving birth to this current cultivation treasure land of Ice Attribute Dou Qi.

Later, the snow plains were occupied by a sect that specialized in Ice Attribute Dou Qi. The latter even used this to suppress the veteran Ice Attribute sect, Ice River Valley, leaping to become a leader among first-rate sects—but that is a story for another time.

Returning to Langya Pavilion, after settling affairs and sending a message to Xiao Xuan, Xiao Han chose to enter seclusion immediately.

Examining the jade-colored sphere he had compressed to several meters in diameter, Xiao Han did not hesitate. His Soul Power surged out, forcing the space to become slightly distorted, and then it slammed fiercely into the solid soul light sphere.

"Crack~"

Accompanied by the sound of an object shattering, a crack appeared on the soul light sphere, and subsequently, dense cracks spread across the entire sphere.

"Bang~"

After the loud noise, before he could react, the Soul Origin surged out like a tidal wave, and Xiao Han was instantly immersed in an ocean of souls.

Strolling through the soul ocean, Xiao Han could not help but lean down and scoop up a handful of the "seawater." The translucent, paste-like Soul Origin appeared in his palm, and then, to Xiao Han's delighted gaze, it quickly vanished.

It did not slip away into thin air, but rather merged into Xiao Han's body, becoming nourishment to strengthen his soul.

"Satisfying!" Xiao Han felt the agitation and craving of his soul, his face lighting up with joy. No wonder the Soul Clan liked using these heinous methods to collect souls.

Just as it was said in his past life, the most profitable paths are all in the criminal code. Translated to a chaotic and disorderly place like the Dou Qi Continent, the fastest way to become strong is through these methods that even ruthless experts fear.

According to Xiao Han's estimation, if he were to cultivate Soul Power on his own, it would take at least several decades or a century of bitter practice to break through the barrier of the Emperor Realm Soul.

But by absorbing this Soul Origin, it would not even take a few days to break through the barrier that stood firmly in his path.

However, time was tight, and Xiao Han could not afford to think too much. He sat cross-legged on the ground, formed hand seals, and a small figure that looked exactly like him jumped out from between his brows.

"Swallow!" both Xiao Hans said with their eyes closed.

As the hand seals shifted slightly, the previously calm soul ocean instantly became restless. Yet, no matter how the waves rose, the two figures at the center remained unmoved.

Then, under the influence of some strange power, the "clouds" above shifted abruptly, and two whirlpools slowly emerged.

The "seawater" was continuously drawn from the "ocean," filtered by the whirlpools, and frantically poured into their bodies.

Accompanied by this whale-like absorption, the seemingly vast and boundless soul ocean slowly diminished and shrank...

Five days passed in a flash. During this time, the secret chamber where Xiao Han was in seclusion showed no abnormalities.

Xiao Xuan, who had returned early from the Ancient Clan, stared in astonishment at the direction of Xiao Han's seclusion, speechless for a long time.

After a long while, he could only helplessly say: "What a lucky kid."

With his soul perception, how could he fail to detect Xiao Han's current state? That Soul Power, growing as if it were riding a rocket, made Xiao Xuan—an old fellow who had only managed to squeeze into the Emperor Realm Soul after grinding away time—feel a wave of envy.

Clearly, this descendant of his had obtained a great opportunity!

Yi Huang looked at the place where Xiao Han was in seclusion with some worry and couldn't help but ask: "Ancestor, how is that guy doing? There shouldn't be any problems, right?"

It was also because Yi Huang sensed that Xiao Han's aura was growing abnormally, making one worry if something had gone wrong with his cultivation.

"Rest assured, that kid is doing just fine!" Xiao Xuan chuckled. "When he comes out of seclusion, this ancestor might not even be a match for him."

Xiao Xuan had sparred with Xiao Han many times. Overall, if one excluded the enhancement of the soul, Xiao Xuan was slightly inferior; Xiao Han's strange and varied methods were truly impossible to guard against.

Yi Huang's face lit up with joy, and she said no more.

At this moment, Xiao Han was unaware of the conversation between Xiao Xuan and Yi Huang; he was focusing his energy on charging at the final barrier to advance to the Emperor Realm Soul.

To Xiao Han's surprise, breaking through this barrier was not very difficult; it even felt like a natural progression. It had been much harder for him to break through from Half-Saint to Dou Saint back then.

With a soft "crack," the barrier between the Heavenly Realm and the Emperor Realm shattered like glass. At the moment of this breakthrough, all the experts in Langya Pavilion felt it.

"This is..." Yi Huang's face was full of joy; she clearly felt the pressure originating from the soul.

"Little guy, not bad!" The calm-minded Xiao Xuan also felt a ripple in his heart.

In Xiao Han's perception, his field of vision was no longer limited to a simple range of a thousand miles. With a slight drive of his Soul Power, the scenery of most of the Central Plains appeared before Xiao Han's eyes.

"Emperor Realm Soul?!" Yao Lao, who was at Starfall Pavilion, felt this soul fluctuation coming from a superior level and easily determined the cause.

"I wonder which expert has actually broken through to the Emperor Realm Soul?" Yao Lao worried.

The atmosphere in the Central Plains is currently extremely heavy, with a great war on the verge of breaking out; his disciple is trapped in the damned Demon Fire Space and has yet to emerge, and if not for the fact that he can still confirm his life is not in danger, he would have prepared to break in himself.

"Is this the Emperor Realm Soul?" At this moment, Xiao Han felt as if he had a sense of control where the whole world was in his hands, though he knew these were merely illusions.

But it also proved from another perspective the power of the Emperor Realm Soul; possessing it, the current Xiao Han believes that if he were to encounter his ancestor Xiao Xuan again, the outcome would be a different story.

"Now..."

"Exit seclusion!"