Hearing Lin Yuan's question, Protector Wu was momentarily stunned. In all his years, this was the first time he had ever heard someone ask him for the Soul Hall's secret techniques.
After a moment, he recovered and looked deeply at Lin Yuan before him.
At this moment, Lin Yuan's handsome face carried a gentle smile, yet within his deep eyes lay an indifference and determination that made Protector Wu's heart tremble.
"Heh heh heh, interesting. A person like you, and even Yao Chen's ally, is actually interested in my Soul Hall's secret arts?"
"I'm merely interested in powerful strength," Lin Yuan replied with a calm smile. "The Soul Hall's secret techniques may not be pleasant to look at, and they even carry a somewhat sinister nature, but there is no denying their power."
"Heh heh." A crimson glint flashed through Protector Wu's eyes as he tempted, "Then why not join my Soul Hall? With your talent, the higher-ups would certainly value you greatly."
After a pause, he continued, "If you have no connections, this Protector can recommend you personally. Moreover, if you hand over the intelligence you possess regarding Yao Chen, you would immediately earn tremendous merit and receive generous rewards from above."
Having spoken, he stared intently at Lin Yuan, waiting for his answer.
Under Protector Wu's expectant gaze, Lin Yuan merely smiled lightly and pointed two fingers at him.
The invisible fire dragon circling Protector Wu instantly surged forward.
"AAAAHHHH—!"
As the Heart Flame precisely scorched his soul, another shrill scream echoed through the chamber.
At the same time, Lin Yuan's cold voice sounded beside Protector Wu's ear.
"Not a bad suggestion. One day, I will visit the Soul Hall. However, it seems you've forgotten what I told you earlier—"
"My patience isn't very good. Don't waste my time. Answer my questions."
"You talk far too much."
When the Heart Flame finally dispersed, Protector Wu's soul essence flickered like a candle in the wind, appearing ready to extinguish at any moment.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan took out a jade-green liquid brimming with vitality from his Storage Ring.
It was Soul Nurturing Saliva.
With a flick of his finger, a droplet the size of a dewdrop flew into the fire barrier. The moment its life-filled aura spread, Protector Wu, who was on the verge of death opened his eyes as though experiencing a final burst of vitality.
Immediately afterward, Lin Yuan guided the droplet with his spiritual strength. It transformed into a mist filled with life energy and wrapped around Protector Wu, pulling him back from the brink of complete dissipation.
Once Protector Wu fully absorbed the medicinal effects of the Soul Nurturing Saliva, his fragile soul body finally escaped the danger of vanishing completely.
Having come so close to death, the way he looked at Lin Yuan now contained far more fear.
Only when he had been half a step away from death did he truly realize how precious his life was.
And when his gaze shifted toward the Soul Nurturing Saliva, greed also appeared within his eyes.
For his current state, the effects of this treasure were simply too good.
Seeing this reaction, Lin Yuan nodded slightly, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
With another flick of his finger, a second drop of Soul Nurturing Saliva floated into the Heart Flame prison, hovering before Protector Wu's soul body. As Lin Yuan moved his finger, the droplet slowly circled around him.
Taking a deep breath of the life-filled aura surrounding him, Protector Wu's eyes became noticeably more eager.
"Want it?" Lin Yuan asked with an amused smile.
"Then show me your sincerity. Hand over every Soul Hall secret technique you know."
"Y-Yes, yes, I understand..."
For the remainder of the day, obscure soul fluctuations continuously echoed throughout the secret chamber, accompanied from time to time by Protector Wu's trademark sinister laughter.
The next day, the tightly shut doors slowly opened.
Lin Yuan stepped out and walked into the spacious courtyard.
Squinting slightly, he gazed at the warm sun hanging high in the sky, and an unconsciously gentle smile appeared on his face.
The cold, gloomy aura he had picked up from spending an entire day dealing with Protector Wu and listening to endless "heh heh heh" laughter gradually dissipated.
Stretching lazily, Lin Yuan reviewed the many secret arts he had obtained from Protector Wu.
"This day and night were not wasted."
"Nine Forests Hundred Soul Devourers, Ten Thousand Souls Spirit Devouring Formation, Soul Devouring Spirit Absorption, Soul Tempering Method..."
"The Soul Hall truly has a unique approach to soul power. Their methods have their own path and characteristics."
"Compared to orthodox soul techniques like the Soul Mysterious Seal, they share certain similarities, yet they are also very different—harsher, crueler, and far more extreme."
"No matter what, this operation was an enormous profit."
"Whether it's forging a soul clone capable of carrying a Heavenly Flame, or advancing my research on Divine Origin Transformation, both can now move forward another step."
Thinking this, a trace of satisfaction appeared in Lin Yuan's eyes.
"Young Master, it seems you've gained quite a lot this time."
Qing Lin's smiling voice sounded nearby as she walked over with light steps.
Lin Yuan nodded.
"Indeed, the harvest was excellent."
"Oh, right, Qing'er. This is for you."
"The medicinal effects of your Qing Yuan Pill should be nearly exhausted by now. Use this next."
As he spoke, he retrieved one of the Xuan Yuan Pills he had refined and handed it to Qing Lin.
"What is it?" Qing Lin asked curiously as she accepted the jade bottle.
"A Xuan Yuan Pill. It can multiply your cultivation efficiency several times over for a period of time."
"Thank you, Young Master."
"Hehe, between us, the word 'thanks' is unnecessary."
Before he could finish speaking, a seven-colored streak of light shot out from Qing Lin's sleeve.
Expanding rapidly, Xiao Cai's human form appeared.
"Father!"
The moment she emerged, she threw herself into Lin Yuan's arms, wrapping her soft arms around his neck.
Lin Yuan smiled warmly.
"Has my little Xiao Cai finally had enough sleep?"
"Not yet. I'm still very sleepy."
Xiao Cai shook her head drowsily and giggled.
"I only woke up because I sensed Father's aura."
"Is that so?"
Lin Yuan gently rubbed her head and took out a crimson spiritual fruit from his Storage Ring, feeding it to her.
"Then eat this and sleep in my sleeve for a while."
"Mhm!"
After contentedly swallowing the fruit, Xiao Cai rapidly shrank and transformed back into a small colorful bracelet, skillfully wrapping itself around Lin Yuan's right arm.
Feeling the cool touch against his skin, Lin Yuan smiled softly and examined her condition.
"Xiao Cai isn't far from reaching the Sixth-Grade."
As his fingers lightly stroked the bracelet hidden beneath his sleeve, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
"The Transformation Pill truly deserves its reputation as one of the finest Seventh-Grade medicinal pills."
"Not only did it grant Xiao Cai a human form, but it also left an enormous reserve of energy within her body."
"Combined with the vast quantities of heavenly treasures she's consumed over the past year, her energy reserves are already sufficient. She's approaching the critical point of advancement."
"It seems I need to carefully plan her diet and properly regulate the energy inside her during this period."
Thinking of this, Lin Yuan turned toward Qing Lin.
"At Qing'er's current pace, she's not far from the Dou Emperor level either."
"Looking at it now, there's a good chance that Qing'er and Xiao Cai will break through to the Dou Emperor realm together."
Thus, Lin Yuan asked, "Qing'er, how did the experiment you and Xiao Cai conducted turn out?"
Hearing this, Qing Lin revealed a bright smile.
"Hehe, it worked."
"Really?" Lin Yuan asked pleasantly surprised.
Qing Lin nodded and happily explained the results.
"Young Master's earlier guess was correct."
"Although the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils cannot directly control an Ancient Magical Beast like the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, that doesn't mean its power is ineffective against them."
"They can simply resist my control."
"However, if Xiao Cai willingly cooperates and voluntarily accepts the power of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, we can establish an equal partnership."
"Oh?"
Interest appeared on Lin Yuan's face.
"What is special about this partnership?"
After thinking for a moment, Qing Lin replied seriously,
"The defining characteristic is equality."
"We can use the unique abilities of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils to borrow certain powers from each other, but there is an approval process involved."
"For example, Xiao Cai can enter my pupil space and communicate with me over long distances, but only with my permission."
"I can also borrow Xiao Cai's Ancient Magical Beast aura to intimidate enemies."
"It can enhance the power of my Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and raise the upper limit of my ability to subdue serpent-type magical beasts."
Lin Yuan nodded thoughtfully.
"As expected of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. Truly miraculous."
Qing Lin scratched the back of her head shyly.
"There should be other abilities as well, but I'll need a higher cultivation level before I can uncover them."
Hearing this, Lin Yuan thought of the Ancient Jade stored within his Storage Ring and smiled meaningfully.
"Then continue improving and continue exploring. After all, we still have plenty of time ahead of us."
"Time to grow together and explore together."
"Mhm!"
Sensing the unusual emotions hidden within Lin Yuan's words, Qing Lin nodded heavily.
"Oh, right, Young Master."
"There's something else I wanted to tell you. Yesterday and today, Zi Yan left early in the morning both times. She said she was going to fight someone and told me not to follow her."
"But yesterday she came back injured. Is everything really alright?"
Mentioning Zi Yan, Qing Lin looked somewhat worried.
"Don't worry."
"I know about it. I even arranged for a clone to watch over her."
"Still, let me check on her condition."
"Little Heavenly Vault Network Communication, activate."
As he spoke, a subtle and mysterious fluctuation spread toward the Jia Ma Imperial Family's rear mountain.
Deep within the Imperial Family's rear mountain in Jia Ma Sacred City, Lin Yuan's Dou Emperor-level shadow clone remained hidden while observing the battle between Zi Yan and the Sea Flood Dragon Beast.
Suddenly, the clone's head drooped as if it had crashed.
Moments later, it lifted its head again, as though rebooted.
Its eyes became far more lively than before.
On the battlefield, Zi Yan was sent flying by a sweep of the Sea Flood Dragon Beast's tail.
Yet after taking the blow head-on, she looked completely unharmed.
As soon as she stabilized herself, she flapped her wings and charged forward once more.
The terrifying physique of an Ancient Void Dragon was displayed to its fullest extent.
"Hmm."
"Zi Yan's combat skills and battle awareness have improved considerably compared to before. Everything is progressing smoothly."
"It seems this opponent is indeed well suited for her."
"With that, I can rest easy."
Shortly afterward, the liveliness in the clone's eyes faded, returning it to its previous state.
"Young Master, how is she?" Qing Lin asked.
Seeing the concern on her face, Lin Yuan smiled.
"I just projected my consciousness into the clone to take a look."
"Zi Yan is doing very well. No need to worry."
"She's currently training with the opponent I arranged for her."
"That's good."
Qing Lin nodded before changing the subject.
"Young Master, I've run into some problems recently while cultivating with the Beast Spirit Gathering Origin Array. Could you explain them to me?"
"Of course. Which part are you having trouble with?"
"Some questions regarding the Origin Gathering Section of the Beast Spirit Gathering Origin Array..."
Thus, Lin Yuan and Qing Lin began discussing matters related to formations. Although Qing Lin had learned her formation techniques from Lin Yuan, she also possessed her own unique insights. Through their exchange, they inspired one another, learning from each other's strengths and compensating for their weaknesses.
And so, over the following days, Lin Yuan once again enjoyed the fulfilling and comfortable life he had not experienced in a long time.
He cultivated Dou Qi, refined pills, studied and researched, improved various Dou Techniques and secret arts, guided Qing Lin, Zi Yan, and Xiao Cai in their cultivation, and waited for Mittel Tengshan's return.
Amid these peaceful and steady days, seven days passed quickly.
During that period, Jia Xing Tian had even brought Yao Ye to visit Lin Yuan and requested that the Imperial Family allow Yao Ye to take charge of handling all matters related to the Seven Stars.
After testing her abilities somewhat, Lin Yuan concluded that Yao Ye was essentially a Ya Fei with quite good cultivation talent. Thus, he gladly accepted her as the Imperial Family's representative for undertaking future tasks as a subordinate of Tian Shu.
Yao Ye had originally hoped to further improve her relationship with Lin Yuan, but seeing his evident lack of interest, she tactfully took her leave.
On the evening of the seventh day, Mittel Tengshan, whom Lin Yuan had sent to oversee the Xiao Family relocation operation, finally returned.
That night, in Hai Bodong's courtyard, the three sat around a stone table.
Picking up the wine jug, Lin Yuan filled the three cups on the table one by one. After sharing a drink, he asked about the progress of the mission.
"Patriarch Tengshan, how did this operation go?"
As he spoke, he refilled Tengshan's empty cup.
"So far, everything has gone very smoothly." Mittel Tengshan nodded and said solemnly, "Following the plan, I hired a group of bandits to 'wipe out' the Xiao Family's core relocation convoy. Afterwards, I ensured that those bandits would sleep forever."
"As for the Xiao Family members who were supposedly 'annihilated,' I have already hidden them away. Later, they will be transported in batches to the designated location in the Black-Corner Region."
Lin Yuan nodded.
"You handled this matter very well. Continue following up on the Xiao Family issue. Also, take this."
With a wave of his hand, he took out a jade bottle containing a green pill from his Storage Ring and handed it to Mittel Tengshan. It was one of the pills he had refined over the past few days.
Looking at the pill before him, Tengshan's heart trembled slightly.
"Lord Tian Shu, this pill is...?"
Lin Yuan filled Hai Bodong's cup and casually explained,
"This is the Advancement Pill, a Sixth-Grade high-grade medicinal pill. When a Dou King attempts to break through to the Dou Emperor realm, it increases the success rate by forty percent. With its assistance, breaking through to Dou Emperor should no longer be difficult for you."
Hearing this, Mittel Tengshan was overjoyed.
"Many thanks, Lord Tian Shu."
Lin Yuan waved his hand.
"No need to be so polite, Patriarch Tengshan. You earned this. I've said it before, so long as things are done well, I am never stingy toward my own people."
As he spoke, he filled his own cup as well.
Seeing Lin Yuan's actions, Hai Bodong's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're leaving?"
Lin Yuan looked at Hai Bodong, the very person who had served as his entry point into the Jia Ma Empire and smiled.
"As expected of Elder Hai. I'll be leaving the Jia Ma Empire tomorrow morning."
"From now on, matters concerning the Tian Shu Subordinate Branch of the Jia Ma Empire will be jointly overseen by you and Jia Xing Tian in rotation. Continue gathering various resources for me and wait for my future instructions."
"Also, I'll leave the Misty Cloud Sect to you. Make sure its lineage and inheritance are preserved."
Hai Bodong's expression grew serious.
"I understand. I will do my utmost to complete everything you've entrusted to me."
"A great figure like you was never meant to remain within the Jia Ma Empire. Let me offer this cup of wine to wish you continued success and unstoppable advancement."
With that, Hai Bodong raised his cup.
Lin Yuan and Mittel Tengshan did the same.
"Cheers!"
At the Imperial Family's rear mountain, within the territory of the Jia Ma Empire's Guardian Beast.
Zi Yan looked at the Flood Dragon Beast, which had once again collapsed onto the lake's surface. A brilliant smile spread across her delicate face.
"Hehe, big guy, this time your Auntie Zi Yan won!"
"Wuuu—"
The somewhat weakened Flood Dragon Beast let out a low groan and gritted its teeth despite the pain.
"Yes, yes, little ancestress, you won. This Emperor is no match for you."
"So can you stop coming here to torment me starting tomorrow?"
As it spoke, the beast could not help but sigh inwardly.
In the Magical Beast world, possessing an overwhelmingly superior bloodline truly was something extraordinary.
Over the past several days, Zi Yan had continuously battled against the perfectly matched opponent that was the Flood Dragon Beast. Through these repeated battles, the immense power hidden within her supreme Ancient Void Dragon bloodline gradually came under her control.
Her combat strength improved at a rate visible to the naked eye.
In just a few short days, she had gone from being unable to defeat the Flood Dragon Beast, to fighting it evenly, and finally surpassing and defeating it.
The current Zi Yan possessed combat power comparable to an ordinary peak nine-star Dou Emperor.
Hearing the beast's submissive words, Zi Yan nodded in satisfaction.
"Don't worry, big guy. I won't come beat you up tomorrow."
"Also, this is for you. My big brother said it's your payment for being my sparring partner. Bye-bye!"
As she spoke, she tossed a jade bottle toward the Flood Dragon Beast, spread her wings, and flew away from the rear mountain toward the Mittel Family.
The beast looked at the pill floating before it, and joy immediately appeared in its enormous eyes.
"Tsk tsk tsk another Origin Bone-Molding Pill."
"This little ancestress is really rich."
"Being beaten up these past few days wasn't for nothing after all..."
The next morning.
Three streams of light, one azure, one purple, and one green rose from the Mittel Family estate and shot across the sky.
Lin Yuan departed the Jia Ma Empire with Qing Lin, Zi Yan, and Xiao Cai hidden within his sleeve.
Without fanfare, they flew toward the depths of the Tagor Desert at high speed.
----
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