Chapter 107: The Great Gathering of the Soul Hall!
The Amethyst Winged Lion Kings watched the Tian She Mansion members who had completely encircled them. These people had all unfurled their Dou Qi wings. A rough glance showed nearly a hundred of them.
Among them, there were even several figures treading the void, their entire bodies radiating a terrifying aura.
The Tian She Mansion was indeed worthy of being a top-tier power of the northwest continent, incomparable to the Jia Ma Empire. In the Jia Ma Empire, a Dou Wang was already among the top ten experts. But here, that was merely a minor deacon.
Only Dou Zongs could be called Elders!
Faced with so many experts, the Amethyst Winged Lion Kings' eyes showed not the slightest fear. Purple flames blazed across the sky around them as they confronted the crowd.
The leader of the Tian She Mansion group was a white-haired elder, a hunched figure leaning on a serpent-headed cane. His pair of sinister eyes swept over the Amethyst Winged Lion Kings. Sensing the rank seven strength of both, his pupils sharply contracted.
When he saw the war chariot behind them, it was like a ball of fog, impossible to see through clearly. He inwardly grimaced.
Using rank seven Magical Beasts as mounts—even their Tian She Mansion didn't have such confidence.
Every rank seven Magical Beast sovereign possessed its own pride. Even though their Tian She Mansion had special methods to coexist peacefully with serpent-type Magical Beasts, even so, they could not make a rank seven Magical Beast serve as a mount.
These were no friendly visitors!
Yet now, under the watch of countless people in the city, he also couldn't let the Tian She Mansion's prestige fall. It was truly tricky.
The elder instantly made a judgment in his heart. Watching the Amethyst Winged Lion Kings, he spoke calmly: "This old man is the Tian She Mansion's Grand Elder, She Qi. May I ask who you honored guests are, and why you have come to my Tian She Mansion?"
Up in the sky, the Amethyst Winged Lion King looked at She Qi and spoke indifferently: "My master has matters to discuss with your Mansion Master. Still not coming out quickly to welcome him?!"
"Want to see the Mansion Master?"
She Qi watched the two beast kings who arrived with such aggressive momentum, his heart pounding with unease. These were likely no friendly guests!
If it were just two rank seven Magical Beasts daring to cause trouble, he could act on the spot and capture them. Mere two Amethyst Winged Lion Kings, with strength equivalent to about two or three-star Dou Zongs—he himself was a nine-star Dou Zong and could deal with them alone.
But if you added the chariot behind them, it was different. To use rank seven Magical Beasts as mounts—the other party's origin was even beyond the fathoming of their Tian She Mansion. They couldn't afford to offend them!
"Bring the honored guests in, Grand Elder!" Just as She Qi was pondering, an ancient voice suddenly drifted slowly from afar, falling into the ears of everyone present.
Carried by powerful Dou Qi, it made the people in the city feel a stifling heaviness in their hearts. Some were even shaken to the point of losing their footing, nearly losing their composure!
"The Mansion Master!"
"A Dou Zun—"
"It actually alarmed the Tian She Mansion Master!"
"A Dou Zun expert, truly terrifying!" The Amethyst Winged Lion Kings resisted the other's pressure with all their might, exchanging a grave look.
"The Mansion Master invites you. Please enter the city, honored guests!" At this moment, the Grand Elder of the Tian She Mansion came forward and spoke.
"Hmph—" Yet, facing the Tian She Mansion's goodwill, the Amethyst Winged Lion King did not accept it. Instead, it let out a cold snort and spoke arrogantly: "What status does he, Emerald Serpent, hold? Is he worthy of my lord coming to his door? Have him personally come and invite us!"
"Hiss—"
Under heaven and on earth, the instant the Amethyst Winged Lion King's words were spoken, a chorus of sharply indrawn breaths rang out. At this moment, only a single thought remained in everyone's minds.
It's over!
The Amethyst Winged Lion King's act was no different from grinding the Tian She Mansion's face into the dirt and trampling it madly. How could the Tian She Mansion ever let this slide?!
"You seek death!"
Sure enough, the Amethyst Winged Lion King's words instantly enraged She Qi. With a curl of his palm, frigid Dou Qi coalesced. The cold Dou Qi rapidly surged, then transformed into a giant black serpent. A chill that penetrated to the bone ceaselessly seeped out from it.
"Roar—"
Watching the energy giant serpent sweeping toward it, a thunderous hum came from the Amethyst Winged Lion King's great mouth. Behind it, vast fire-attribute energy condensed. Suddenly, a pair of giant flaming wings, thirty meters wide, coalesced.
On the wings, streaks of purple flame churned, radiating a terrifying heat so intense it distorted the space in the sky.
With a beat of its wings, a massive, sky-charging purple fire pillar condensed around its body, fully fifteen meters wide. It shot out from its body, then slammed fiercely toward the pitch-black great serpent.
Seeing this, the smaller Amethyst Winged Lion King at the side mirrored the exact same action. At this moment, the two were like a copy and paste, facing the enemy together.
Three colossal entities collided with lightning speed in the air. The very instant they collided, space itself seemed to freeze for a moment.
"Boom!" A thunderclap, out of nowhere, exploded in the clear sky.
The terrifying attacks of the three Dou Zong experts fiercely smashed against each other high in the air, madly unleashing their horrific energy against the other. At the point where the three met, space itself seemed to ripple slightly.
"Bang!"
The terrifying energy fluctuations stalemated against each other. Explosion after explosion rang out. Streak after streak of purple flame fell toward the ground below.
"Enough!"
Seeing such a massive commotion caused, a voice containing fury rang out. A terrifying aura, like a giant dragon awakening, stirred. The space where the energies collided violently distorted. Dense spatial fluctuations spread outward.
A spatial rift tore open, and the colliding energy shockwaves of the three were sucked inside in an instant, vanishing without a trace.
"Who's there!"
The Amethyst Winged Lion Kings' offensive stance paused. A sense of danger rose spontaneously from the depths of their hearts. Their eyes warily watched that spatial rift ahead. They sensed great terror from within it—an existence that posed a lethal threat to them.
"You wanted to see this Seat, didn't you?"
"Now, this Seat is here. Where is your master? Tell him to show himself. Skulking in the shadows—I'm afraid that is beneath his status."
A calm voice drifted out from within that distorted space. Faintly, the horrifying shadow of an emerald-green giant serpent appeared within that space. And within that serpent's shadow, an emerald-green figure slowly walked forth.
This person was lean and tall, like a javelin. His beard and hair were both ink-green. His eyes gleamed even more like emeralds. His entire person gave off an illusory feeling, as if he were a phantom.
Behind him was a serpent-shaped phantom shadow. The emerald giant serpent displayed a powerful majesty, faintly connected to the terrain below. The aura his entire body radiated was worlds apart from everyone present.
"It's the Tian She Mansion Master, the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder!"
"I never imagined even a Dou Zun would be stirred. Everyone, I have a bad premonition!"
"The Emerald Serpent Honored Elder hasn't shown himself for over a decade. I wonder what level his strength has reached now?"
With the appearance of the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder, a wave of heated discussion immediately arose within the Sky Serpent Holy City. This was an expert from the previous era; many tales of him still circulated.
To many of them, this man was a guiding light on the path of cultivation!
"Today, I've come to the Tian She Mansion for only one matter!"
From within the carriage came Yun Yi's voice, as placid as an ancient well. In the next moment, a slender hand lifted the carriage curtain. Yun Yi, clad in white robes, slowly emerged.
Upon seeing Yun Yi, the people of the Tian She Mansion couldn't help but be somewhat shocked. This... too young! He was simply far too young!
And the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder saw deeper. He actually couldn't see through Yun Yi! He was a Dou Zun expert, and a three-star Dou Zun at that, yet he couldn't see through a youngster.
All of this pointed to the terrifying power behind the other party. Thinking of this, while secretly breathing a sigh of relief, the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder's wariness immediately ratcheted up.
Judging by the other's attitude, he was likely not here for anything good!
"May I know what matter?" the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder looked at Jiang Yun and asked flatly.
Expressionlessly watching the Tian She Mansion crowd, Yun Yi's sharp, abyss-like gaze made all who met it subconsciously avert their eyes.
In the next moment, the words that came out of Yun Yi's mouth caused the expressions of everyone in the Tian She Mansion to change drastically.
"I want the Tian She Mansion!"
A single stone stirred a thousand waves.
The moment Yun Yi's words were spoken, the originally clamorous Sky Serpent Holy City suddenly fell into a strange silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The expressions of all the Tian She Mansion experts darkened in that very instant. Cold light flickered in their gazes.
"Insolence— Do you even know what you are saying?" In the sky, She Qi's eyes, looking at Yun Yi, surged with killing intent. The moment the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder acted, he would immediately strike, determined to deal with those two Amethyst Winged Lion Kings first and eliminate the other party's helpers.
"Little friend, do you know what you are saying?"
The Emerald Serpent Honored Elder raised his hand, stopping the indignant and enraged Tian She Mansion elders. Taking a deep breath, he stared expressionlessly at Yun Yi. Within his eyes, sharp, fierce cold light flickered. A voice devoid of the slightest emotion slowly came from his mouth.
"Heh heh—" Facing the crowd's killing-intent-filled gazes, Yun Yi was utterly fearless. With a cold, piercing laugh, his domineering voice echoed through heaven and earth: "Today, the Tian She Mansion submits—and there is still a path to life. If you stubbornly resist... then die—"
Although he had considered subduing the Tian She Mansion as his vanguard to stir up the flames of war across the northwest continent, the method of subjugation was not so particular.
If the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder was smart, then Yun Yi would be happy for the ease. But if they were blind to the situation, then he didn't mind putting in a bit more effort and turning every person in the Sky Serpent Holy City into flame slaves.
No matter what, the result would be the same!
"You reckless brat who knows not the immensity of heaven and earth! Today, this Honored One shall first capture you, and wait for your elders to come and ransom you!"
With a low shout, the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder reached out a hand. Suddenly, the space around Yun Yi rippled, as if transforming into a cage, intending to imprison him within.
At the same time, a sky-covering, sun-blocking energy giant hand reached out, aiming to capture Yun Yi in one fell swoop!
"Soul-Severing Finger!"
In the sky, watching the giant hand descending, Yun Yi showed not the slightest panic. Pitch-black flames blazed to life. Instantly, the spatial imprisonment around him, under the scorching heat of the flames, disintegrated layer by layer.
Then, his palm extended. Pitch-black flames gathered, slowly compressing in his palm, radiating an astonishing power.
Accompanied by a light shout from Yun Yi, he pointed a finger at the opponent's energy giant hand.
"Boom!"
A finger-sized illusory finger shot forth. As it flew, the surrounding natural energy madly surged toward it. The pitch-black finger imprint instantly swelled in the wind. In the blink of an eye, it expanded to roughly the same size as the energy giant hand.
Under the witness of countless people, the two terrifying attacks rapidly approached each other.
"Buzz!"
The pitch-black finger heavily pressed onto the energy giant hand. A humming sound reverberated through heaven and earth. Terrifying energy fluctuations spread outward in all directions along with the sound.
"Pfft—"
Below, under such a horrifying humming sound, some with insufficient strength spat out a mouthful of fresh blood on the spot. For the more severely affected, their eardrums even burst open, blood continuously flowing from both ears—an extremely miserable sight.
"Rumble—"
In the next instant, the humming ended, and an even more violent shockwave of residual energy swept out.
"Mmgh—"
A muffled grunt escaped Yun Yi. His body shuddered. The figure standing on the war chariot heavily stumbled back five steps. A trickle of fresh blood slid from the corner of his mouth.
No one noticed that the dripping blood transformed into a pitch-black flame sprout in midair and scattered with the wind.
Compared to Yun Yi, the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder had only swayed slightly, with no injury whatsoever.
Now, looking at Yun Yi, a flash of disbelief crossed his eyes. The moment they clashed, Yun Yi's strength had been exposed.
A peak nine-star Dou Huang!
With such strength, he actually withstood a blow from a Dou Zun head-on! It was simply shocking!
"Youngster, this Honored One acknowledges you are astonishing. But today, you'd best surrender yourself for capture!" Returning to his senses, the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder looked at Yun Yi, a flash of intense killing intent passing through his eyes. But in broad public view, he forcibly suppressed it.
The surrounding Tian She Mansion elders also slowly closed in, determined to capture the one man and two beasts alive!
"Ha—" Facing the Emerald Serpent's words, Yun Yi suddenly smiled inexplicably. "Aren't you curious where I come from?"
"I'll tell you now."
"Hm~~~" Hearing Yun Yi's words and seeing his completely fearless demeanor, a sudden bad premonition arose in the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder.
"Make your move, everyone. Let this gluttonous feast begin!"
In the sky, as Yun Yi's voice fell, a brief tranquility suddenly passed through the world.
"Jie jie jie, the Young Hall Master is truly in high spirits, to actually take the Sky Serpent Empire as the opening blade! Qing Hai, don't you have a grudge against that Emerald Serpent? He'll be yours to handle later."
Just as the Emerald Serpent was about to strike again, on the distant horizon, a large expanse of dense black fog suddenly swept from afar, then appeared in this stretch of sky. An eerie, sinister, strange laugh resounded.
"That old fool truly doesn't know when his death is due, to actually dare strike against the Young Hall Master! Did he think my Soul Hall has no one?!" Following closely behind the black fog, a cold, detached voice slowly echoed across the horizon like a thunderclap, startling countless!
The Soul Hall!
It was actually the people of the Soul Hall!
A wave of shocked uproar suddenly erupted from the crowd of the Sky Serpent Empire. Quite a few people's faces were filled with terror. The people of the Soul Hall had actually set their sights on the Tian She Mansion? Then they themselves...
Thinking of this, everyone instantly felt a chill run through their hands and feet!
At this moment, the Emerald Serpent Honored Elder's expression was ugly to the extreme. This time, it would truly be difficult!
The sky-filling black fog completely surrounded the entire Sky Serpent Holy City, so tightly not a drop of water could leak through. Even the blazing sun in the sky now appeared dim and somber.
Moments later, hundreds of figures slowly walked out from within the black fog. Among them, dozens of figures radiated the fluctuations of Dou Zongs. And the three old men at the very front were even more terrifying.
The instant they appeared, the space of this stretch of the world immediately began to ripple violently.