Chapter 100: The Remnants of the Soul Clan
The broad Dou Qi wings cut through the calm sky, disrupting the airflow and sending gusts of wind whipping against Nalan Yanran's face. Her long hair fluttered chaotically, and the sharp wind helped her regain some clarity.
"Can you put your hand somewhere else?" Nalan Yanran asked, her cheeks flushed as she glared at Xiao Yan.
At the moment, Xiao Yan had his arm wrapped snugly around her waist as they flew through the sky, their bodies pressed close together. For someone who had never been in such close proximity to a man, this was an overwhelming experience. And to make matters worse, Xiao Yan's hand seemed far from well behaved.
"What did you say? The wind's too loud; I can't hear you," Xiao Yan called out loudly, his voice teasing.
Looking at his annoyingly handsome and smug face, Nalan Yanran felt an overwhelming urge to bite him.
She channeled her Dou Qi to her throat and screamed, "CAN YOU TAKE YOUR HAND OFF MY BUTT?!"
"What? I still can't hear you!" Xiao Yan responded with feigned confusion.
At that moment, Nalan Yanran gave up. After everything she'd been through recently, she no longer had the energy to deal with Xiao Yan's antics, even if his hand was shamelessly out of place.
Trailing behind them, Yun Yun followed closely, her Dou Qi wings gliding through the air. The thought of their sect's ancestor, Yun Potian, possibly being alive filled her heart with hope. If they could save him, the Yun Lan Sect would rise to unprecedented heights.
However, hearing Nalan Yanran's shouted complaint, Yun Yun's elegant face twitched ever so slightly.
Before long, the trio landed on the mountain where Nalan Yanran usually trained.
"It's that boulder," Nalan Yanran said, pointing to a large stone near the peak.
"This boulder has weathered countless years of wind and rain, yet the energy around it has always been slightly denser than elsewhere. Typically, only the most outstanding disciples of the Yun Lan Sect are allowed to train here," Nalan Yanran explained, her cheeks still faintly red as she glanced at Xiao Yan.
"Hmm, it's definitely more concentrated than usual, but this stone doesn't look particularly special," Xiao Yan said, walking boldly toward the boulder.
"Be careful," Nalan Yanran cautioned softly.
"What's this? Are you worried about me?" Xiao Yan teased, flashing his trademark mischievous smile.
Both Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran fell silent, their cheeks turning crimson. First, Xiao Yan had teased the teacher, and now the student it seemed there was no end to his shamelessness.
The two women exchanged a brief, flustered glance before quickly looking away, their embarrassment evident.
Xiao Yan chuckled softly at their reaction before turning his attention back to the boulder. He released his vast soul power, which swept over the stone, probing its depths.
After a moment of examination, Xiao Yan discovered something unusual. At the core of the boulder was a smaller black stone that seemed to block his soul power from penetrating further.
"Interesting," Xiao Yan muttered, rubbing his chin. Then he called out, "Elder Wen, Elder Wu!"
As his words echoed, the space behind him rippled, and two elderly figures stepped forward. Their sudden appearance caused Yun Yun's pupils to constrict, the sheer presence of these two filling her with awe.
"Yanran, the disturbance at your family must have come from one of these two elders, right?" Yun Yun asked, her voice trembling slightly as she glanced at her disciple.
"Yes, Teacher," Nalan Yanran replied, her tone calmer, having seen the two elders before. Compared to the events she had witnessed earlier, the elders' presence now felt less shocking.
"Elder Wen, this boulder seems unusual. Can you break it open?" Xiao Yan asked with a smile.
"Of course, Young Master." Elder Wen chuckled, stepping forward.
As he approached, the massive stone trembled slightly, almost as if in fear.
With a faint smile, Elder Wen raised his hand. A sharp blade of crystalline blue energy formed around his palm, glowing with water elemental Dou Qi. With a few casual swings, the giant boulder crumbled to dust, revealing a fist sized black gemstone within.
"A Boundary Soul Stone!" Elder Wen exclaimed, his expression tinged with surprise.
"A Boundary Soul Stone? What's that?" Xiao Yan asked, tilting his head in curiosity.
Elder Wen began to explain, "Boundary Soul Stones originate from the Soul Realm and are a rare and powerful material. These stones can contain immense soul energy and are often used to seal souls.
"Unlike other materials that can store souls, Boundary Soul Stones have a unique ability to trap souls within. Unless external force breaks the stone, the trapped soul cannot escape unless it has reached the Heavenly Soul level."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded thoughtfully.
"Young Master," Elder Wen continued, "even a Heavenly Soul would struggle to detect a Boundary Soul Stone from a distance, which makes them excellent tools for the Soul Clan to imprison souls."
"Interesting," Xiao Yan mused. "It seems there's a big fish hiding here after all."
"A Nine Star Dou Zun from the Soul Clan," Elder Wu murmured, his lips curling into a smirk. "Catching a soul like this will earn us significant merit with the clan."
Excited at the prospect, Elder Wen raised his palm again. "Young Master, I will now unseal this Boundary Soul Stone."
"Do it. But be careful not to harm Yun Potian's remnant soul," Xiao Yan reminded him, glancing at Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran.
Hearing this, the teacher and student duo looked at Xiao Yan with gratitude in their eyes.
As Elder Wen's blade approached, the black stone trembled violently, almost as if it sensed its impending doom.
Shing! The blade struck, and the Boundary Soul Stone shattered into countless fragments.
From within, two entities emerged. One was a pale, flickering white soul that fell limply among the fragments. The other was a dense black mist that surged toward Xiao Yan with terrifying speed.
"How dare you attack our clan's Young Master!" Elder Wu roared, his hand enveloped in fiery energy as he grabbed the black mist mid flight. The mist was immediately trapped within a small energy barrier.
Inside the barrier, the black mist swirled chaotically before forming the shape of an old woman's face, her expression twisted with rage and despair.
"No! How can there be a Half Saint here in this backwater place? This can't be!" she screamed.
Elder Wen sneered, his tone mocking. "Not just a Half Saint, but a Half Saint of the Xiao Clan."
The old woman's face froze in horror before letting out a heart wrenching wail.
"Why? Why is this happening? Is the heavens themselves bent on destroying the Soul Clan?!"
"Caught in our hands, little Soul Clan remnant, there's no escape," Elder Wu taunted, laughing darkly.
Xiao Yan joined in, his voice dripping with derision. "Did you really think you could hide forever? Welcome to the end of your pitiful game."
(Chapter End)
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