Chapter 189: Identity Revealed
The Soul Hall, a top-tier force in the Central Region, could only be rivaled by the Pill Tower.
However, outside of the Central Region, the Soul Hall's reputation wasn't as widespread. Few knew of it, or rather, those whose strength hadn't reached a certain level weren't qualified to learn about it. Some circles were so secretive that no matter how long one lived, they would never know of them.
Thus, in the eyes of the Iron Guardian, this mysterious seven-star alchemist must have come from the Central Region; otherwise, his strength couldn't be explained. A hidden dragon couldn't be nurtured in a small pond, especially in regions like the Northwest. Han Feng, a mere six-star alchemist, had managed to dominate the Black Corner Domain. This made it clear how powerful the alchemist's background might be.
"However, no matter your identity, if you fall into my hands, your end will be the same..." The Iron Guardian's red eyes flickered, and his voice became hoarse and low.
As his words fell, his aura immediately surged. Countless chains locked down the surrounding space, cutting off the flow of external energy. Even his own aura became darker, swirling with malevolent energy as sinister spirits began to gather, creating a haunting atmosphere.
"You're just a dog raised by the Soul Hall, yet you have quite the guts," Yao Yan remarked with a faint smile, looking at the Iron Guardian, his voice light and casual.
"You sharp-tongued brat, you've finally pissed me off!" The Iron Guardian's tone suddenly grew cold. His figure rapidly expanded, and countless spirits began to swirl around him, enhancing his already overwhelming presence. "I hope you can still talk tough when you fall into my hands!"
"Has your elder from the Soul Hall not sent you to find me?" Yao Yan's gaze tightened slightly as he coldly questioned.
Upon hearing this, the Iron Guardian's momentum faltered. His red eyes flickered with uncertainty as he stared at Yao Yan. For a moment, confusion clouded his mind. Some information quickly surfaced in his mind, and his previously expanded physique began to shrink as he bent over slightly, uncertainly saying, "You... you are..."
"Can anyone pretend to be me? Although my token from my master was lost, once this message reaches back, someone will come for me."
Yao Yan, standing over the fallen Earth Demon Old Ghost, looked at the Iron Guardian indifferently.
The Iron Guardian swallowed, his eyes locking onto Yao Yan's calm face. He could now see the faint marks of recognition, and his demeanor immediately shifted. He quickly approached Yao Yan, bent down, and cupped his hands respectfully. "I humbly greet the young master. I apologize for the offense earlier. I hope the young master will forgive me."
"Don't want to give it a try? I remember the Soul Hall has a soul possession technique. My current condition is quite poor, but if you strike now, there might be a chance of success," Yao Yan smiled lightly at the now subservient Iron Guardian.
"I dare not think of such a thing… Would the young master like to return to the sub-hall? I can guide you," The Iron Guardian trembled slightly, quickly extinguishing the thoughts he had just entertained. Even if he succeeded, he knew he could not hide it from the elders in the sub-hall. Besides, Yao Yan was likely backed by an extremely mysterious teacher. From the elder's tone, it was clear that Yao Yan's teacher held a higher rank than them. It was even possible that his teacher was someone of a similar level to the Hall Master of the Heavenly Templar in the Central Region!
"I came to the Black Corner Domain just for some training. Whether I leave or stay doesn't matter… Take this item back to the sub-hall and give it to the hall master, asking him to pass it to my teacher," Yao Yan flicked his fingers and sent a communication jade slip to the Iron Guardian.
"Understood!" The Iron Guardian caught it smoothly, his attitude becoming even more respectful.
If there was any doubt before, it was now gone. Yao Yan's identity was confirmed, and no impersonator would have this kind of confidence or speak like that.
Yao Yan casually said, "We'll put on a show soon. My current situation is a bit complicated, so it's not suitable for me to have too much contact with the Soul Hall. Don't let others know about my connections to the Soul Hall."
"Of course, young master, whatever you say!" The Iron Guardian said, with a touch of ingratiation in his tone.
"I liked you better when you were more arrogant. Get back to that. Don't let others see through this. By the way, take the Earth Demon Old Ghost's soul with you too," Yao Yan glanced at the fallen Earth Demon Old Ghost, clearly sensing the lingering soul.
As a seven-star Dou Zong, his soul had already been strengthened when he entered the Dou Zong realm. Coupled with the years of tempering through Dou Qi, his soul power was among the highest in the mortal realm. It was naturally difficult to destroy, and the Soul Hall greatly favored such souls.
They could either convert them into soul servants or directly extract their souls for other uses. Both were excellent materials.
The Iron Guardian: "..."
Outside the black mist.
Cai Lin and the Vulture Guardian were engaged in a fierce battle. The dou qi fluctuations were intense, and the space around them trembled slightly, showing just how vicious Cai Lin's attacks were. She glanced at the still, silent black abyss and pursed her lips, speaking softly, "Aren't you two old guys going to intervene? If anything happens to him, there's no hope for your resurrection!"
Yao Lao and Heavenly Flame Master exchanged looks. They wanted to intervene, but Yao Yan had told them to hold back.
"Should we intervene? She can't hold off the Soul Hall's guardian for much longer. If we wait too long, something might happen to Yao Yan!" Heavenly Flame Master said, his gaze darkening.
"Better not if we can avoid it. If we do... we can't leave any survivors!" Yao Lao's eyes turned cold. He knew that if these two guardians were allowed to live, word of Yao Yan's survival would quickly reach the Soul Hall's elder, and it would no longer just be a few guardians after him.
"Agreed!" Heavenly Flame Master nodded.
"Any helpers?" The Vulture Guardian's eyes flickered with suspicion. His attack slowed slightly as he became more cautious. He had felt something was off earlier, as though something was lying in wait around them. He kept some power in reserve, but the hidden old-timer still hadn't appeared, leaving him uncertain whether they had real backup or not.
Buzz!
At that moment, the black abyss suddenly vibrated violently.
This sudden movement caught everyone's attention. Even Cai Lin and the Vulture Guardian stopped to look, the former concerned for Yao Yan's safety, and the latter eager to see if Iron Guardian had succeeded.
But soon, the Vulture Guardian's expression darkened. Yao Yan hadn't been injured, and instead, he was once again forming a three-colored fire lotus between his palms. The terrifying destructive power radiated outward. While it wasn't as terrifying as the Four-Colored Fire Lotus, its aura was more than enough to pose a deadly threat to a four-star Dou Zong.
Iron Guardian, like a slippery eel, saw the danger and quickly retreated, the black chains around him binding the ethereal soul of Earth Demon Old Ghost.
"Run!" Iron Guardian's face became grim as he spoke to the Vulture Guardian, and he rushed toward the distance.
The Vulture Guardian was stunned. Seeing Yao Yan's three-colored fire lotus, he didn't dare to stay and test its power. He threw a harsh remark, "Good luck, kid. This guardian looks forward to our next meeting."
"Next time?" Yao Yan laughed upon hearing this. If there was a next time, the Vulture Guardian would probably be begging on his knees.
Swish!
The Vulture Guardian was quick, and with a twist of space, he caught up with Iron Guardian. He wanted to ask what had happened—after spending so much effort to create the ghost abyss and block the space, how could Yao Yan still summon a three-colored fire lotus with his depleted dou qi?
With the departure of the two Soul Hall guardians, the sky cleared quickly, the sunlight flooding down, revealing the shattered ground.
Yao Yan's three-colored fire lotus slowly dissipated, his smile still lingering, but his body suddenly swayed, nearly collapsing. A gentle breeze swept through, and Cai Lin appeared at his side, holding him up. Her cold, exquisite eyes were filled with unmasked concern.
Yao Yan leaned on her shoulder, enjoying the warmth, and smiled, "I'm fine. Just a little exhausted. A few days of rest will do."
"You always act tough!" Cai Lin's lips parted slightly, her voice cold, though she also sighed in relief.
Buzz!
The Bone Flame Ring flew from the side, and Yao Lao and Heavenly Flame Master's spirits appeared. Only when they confirmed Yao Yan was unharmed did they let out a collective sigh. But the serious expression in Yao Lao's eyes didn't fade. He spoke in a low voice, "Even though I didn't step in today, your performance will definitely draw Soul Hall's attention. You'll face more trouble ahead!"
Yao Yan leaned on Cai Lin, speaking softly, "Even without today, tomorrow will come. Strength is the foundation of everything… Once I digest the rewards from this battle, I can start absorbing the Heavenly Flame. With the help of the Emperor's Extreme Pill, I should be able to reach the peak of the Dou Huang!"
Cai Lin's heart tightened as she heard Yao Yan's words. She could feel his urgency, much like when she had just inherited the throne.
"You're rushing too much. Can you hold up?" Yao Lao's gaze tightened, and he spoke gravely.
Though heavenly flame energy could refine dou qi and boost one's original power, the premise was that Yao Yan had full control over it. If he simply rushed his power without mastering it, it could become a massive problem, possibly even hindering his breakthroughs in the future.
Especially with the process of breaking through to Dou Zun, where every single strand of dou qi had to be perfectly controlled. Any carelessness could cause his dou qi to scatter, resulting in a drop in cultivation.
Yao Lao had high hopes for Yao Yan. With his talent and the special nature of the Burning Decision, it was not a fantasy for him to one day become a Dou Sheng!
"Thanks to this old guy's sparring, my dou qi is completely exhausted. Once I recover it, I should be able to reach perfection." Yao Yan chuckled, lifting Earth Demon Old Ghost's body.
Yao Lao looked at the corpse, his brows furrowing. "Was that the soul the Soul Hall guardian took?"
Yao Yan nodded and explained, "Yes, I took the opportunity to swallow a seven-tier instant energy pill and formed a three-colored fire lotus, forcing him to retreat."
Yao Lao didn't doubt it and spoke again, "For now, you should rest at Canaan Academy. After absorbing the Sea Heart Flame, we can think about the next steps. As you said, strength is everything. Without it, everything is just empty talk."
After a pause, he looked at Earth Demon Old Ghost's body and said in a low voice, "Once you've absorbed the Sea Heart Flame, you can start working on refining a new body for me!"
"You don't mind his body being unusable?" Yao Yan raised an eyebrow, smiling in surprise.
Yao Lao stroked his beard and smiled, "I can't let you, the junior, always shelter me. It's time for me to contribute."
"Too bad it's just one body~" Heavenly Flame Master said with some resignation. He had thought of competing for the body, but Yao Lao's power had been much stronger than his during his lifetime, so it was only fitting for Yao Lao to be the first to claim it. Yao Yan's interests came first, and they had already discussed this in the Bone Flame Ring.
Hearing their words, Yao Yan's heart warmed. He truly appreciated the concern of his elders, though he knew this wouldn't last.
On the other side.
The Vulture Guardian had finally caught up to the Iron Guardian. He looked somewhat distressed and said, "What happened? We spent almost ten thousand residual souls to set up that formation, and you failed! You even let that kid use his trick again!"
Though the three-colored fire lotus wasn't as terrifying as the four-colored fire lotus, the aura it emitted still made the Vulture Guardian's heart tremble. He couldn't understand how a four-star Dou Huang could unleash such an attack.
The Iron Guardian silently stored Earth Demon Old Ghost's soul, then glanced at the Vulture Guardian. "He is the one the elder wanted us to find."
"What elder... You mean...!" The Vulture Guardian frowned and immediately froze, realizing something. His face filled with disbelief as he looked at the Iron Guardian. "Are you sure?"
"Definitely. I'm going back to inform the elder. The young master even gave me a communication jade slip, asking the elder to pass it on to his teacher… His current situation is a bit special, and it seems he can't be associated with the Soul Hall. I don't know the specifics, but we're just following orders," the Iron Guardian explained.
"Ha, our luck is really something… But, if it weren't for the young master, we wouldn't have this opportunity. Now that I think about it, everything makes sense. We should have thought of this earlier. If we attach ourselves to this mysterious young master, perhaps..." The Vulture Guardian licked his lips greedily.
"Let's deal with what the young master instructed first. As for getting close to him, that's up to luck," the Iron Guardian said, his mind calm.
"Right, let's head back to the sub-hall and see how the elder reacts. I'm curious about this young master's identity!" The Vulture Guardian urged.
The two vanished in a streak of light, quickly heading northwest.
(END CHAPTER)
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