Upon the mountain peak, Xiao Yan awoke drenched in cold sweat, his eyes filled with a grave expression. He had never expected that this soul’s journey through heaven and earth would lead to an encounter with the elusive and mysterious Hall Master of the Soul Palace. If not for the assistance of that mysterious powerhouse, it would have been exceedingly difficult for Xiao Yan to extricate himself. Although he believed he would not be vastly outmatched in a contest of souls against the Hall Master of the Soul Palace, as the latter had pointed out, there was a considerable disparity in their strength.
“The strength of the Hall Master of the Soul Palace is likely even greater than Zi Yan’s,” Xiao Yan exhaled slowly, suppressing the pounding of his heart. The previous incident had been too perilous. The man truly deserved the title of Hall Master, with a soul so powerful that Xiao Yan was rendered helpless. “But I wonder who that mysterious powerhouse is. I should not know such a formidable being, so why did he intervene on my behalf?”
Xiao Yan’s brows furrowed slightly. After this soul’s journey, he could sense the profound depths hidden within the Central Plains. Even with his fully perfected Celestial Realm soul, he had nearly encountered a calamity. “Since that mysterious powerhouse assisted me, he must be a friend rather than an enemy. If I can uncover his identity, it might prove to be a significant boon.”
Xiao Yan’s gaze flickered. It was clear that the mysterious powerhouse did not fear the Hall Master of the Soul Palace. In their confrontation, the former had not been in the least bit at a disadvantage. Moreover, Xiao Yan could hear a hint of apprehension in the Hall Master’s voice. In this world, there were few people who could make the Hall Master of the Soul Palace, a powerhouse of such caliber, feel wary…
After a moment of deep thought, Xiao Yan shook his head and lifted his gaze towards the northwest. His dark eyes burned with intense flames. This soul’s journey had yielded great gains. Not only had he encountered the Hall Master of the Soul Palace, but he had also located the spot where the Heavenly Demon Flame would descend. Within that distorted space, the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame must be sealed! However, given that both the Hall Master of the Soul Palace and the mysterious powerhouse appeared in that area, it was clear they had already detected it and were guarding it. This time, encountering the Hall Master felt like he was ensnaring himself.
“I noticed that the space there was beginning to shatter, indicating that the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame is about to break free. Perhaps in just a few days, the Heavenly Demon Flame will descend…”
Xiao Yan’s hand gently rubbed together. This encounter with the Hall Master of the Soul Palace had made him understand the latter’s strength. If he were to face the Hall Master now, he stood no chance. Therefore, no matter what, Xiao Yan must obtain the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame. Only by devouring the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame could he make a significant breakthrough in a short period. At that point, even the Hall Master of the Soul Palace would not phase him. Furthermore, behind the Hall Master, there lurked the more terrifying Soul Clan. If he could not handle the Hall Master, how could he confront the Soul Clan? After all, this fearsome force was responsible for the tragic demise of his ancestor, Xiao Xuan.
“I must obtain the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame!” Xiao Yan clenched his fists. His hand suddenly touched his forehead. In his mind, the strange light ball he had obtained from the ancient map returned to its dormant state after his soul’s return. Even with his fully perfected Celestial Realm soul, he could not penetrate the light ball. “This thing seems to have a strong reaction to the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame. It must be left by the legendary Holy Demon, but I do not know its purpose…”
Xiao Yan’s brows furrowed. After all his efforts, gathering the fragmented maps, if this light ball served no purpose, he would be tempted to drag out the Holy Demon and give him a piece of his mind. Sighing, he rubbed his forehead, gathered his thoughts, and stood up. With a thought, his soul energy surged from his forehead, forming a substantial-like figure before him.
Looking at the soul figure identical to himself, the latter’s face was equally lively, showing no hint of numbness. From afar, the two looked like twin brothers. “Xiao Yan.” Xiao Yan smiled at the “Xiao Yan” in front of him and extended his hand. “Please take care.” The soul figure also smiled and clasped hands with Xiao Yan, the scene both comical and bizarre.
“Ah, there are two Xiao Yans…” In the sky, ripples in the space appeared, and a group of figures materialized. They stared in surprise at the two clasped figures. Zhiyan exclaimed in curiosity, zooming down and peering intently at the two. “A soul clone that perfectly resembles the original, at the perfected Celestial Realm. Truly, your reputation is well-deserved.” The Great Elder of the Small Dan Pagoda also descended, marveling at the Xiao Yan clone brimming with spirit. “Moreover, the clone is no weaker than the original. Their cooperation is flawless, and their combined power is indeed formidable.” The Pharmacist Elder, stroking his beard, added with a smile. Xiao Yan grinned and waved his hand, dispelling the soul clone, which returned to his forehead as soul energy.
“Hehe, you’ve finally completed your cultivation. According to the schedule, the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame will soon emerge. As for the location, we still don’t know, but when the time comes, it will surely be a grand event.” Venerable Wind spoke with a smile. “I already know the location of the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame’s descent,” Xiao Yan replied with a smile. Seeing Venerable Wind’s stunned expression, he hesitated and added, “I discovered it during my soul’s journey, and I also met the Hall Master of the Soul Palace.”
At his words, the onlookers’ expressions changed, and all eyes turned to Xiao Yan. The Hall Master of the Soul Palace, the most enigmatic figure in the Soul Palace, was a formidable existence of unparalleled strength. “What happened?” the Pharmacist Elder asked with a serious tone. Xiao Yan explained the events briefly. “It seems the Soul Palace is indeed fixated on the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame and has been keeping watch over it.” The Pharmacist Elder frowned, pondering before continuing, “As for that mysterious powerhouse, I cannot discern his background, but since he helped you, he must be a friend rather than an enemy.” Xiao Yan nodded. “Don’t worry too much about the Hall Master of the Soul Palace. When the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame descends, the ancient races will intervene, including the Gu clan. The Hall Master will have other adversaries to deal with, and we can then seek an opportunity to seize the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame.”
The Pharmacist Elder produced a jade vial from his hand, inside which swirled a cloud of dan essence. A dark red pill floated atop the cloud, exuding a chilling aura that caused ice crystals to fall around them. “This is the Nine Yin Yellow Springs Pill. During the two months of your cultivation, I and the Great Elder collaborated to refine it.” Xiao Yan took the vial, feeling a chill rise from his feet. He breathed deeply, and the breath turned into an ice pillar that crumbled and fell. “It is indeed the Nine Yin Yellow Springs Pill. Thank you, teacher and Great Elder.” Xiao Yan smiled, knowing that even the Great Elder and the Pharmacist Elder found it a challenge.
The Pharmacist Elder smiled and said, “Now, everything is in place. All we need to do is wait for the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame to descend. Whether we can truly obtain it will depend on fate. After all, in every previous emergence, the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame has never truly been subdued.” Xiao Yan nodded silently. He knew the difficulty of subduing the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame, but he would give it his all.
In the following days, having successfully cultivated his soul to the perfected Celestial Realm, Xiao Yan gradually relaxed. The alliance’s spies were quietly dispatched to the area he had detected, conducting reconnaissance. Of course, not only the “Heavenly Alliance” took action; some ancient and reclusive forces in the Central Plains also shifted their attention to that region. The emergence of the Sealed Lotus Demon Flame had stirred the interests of countless forces, both open and covert, on the Central Plains!
That remote forest, usually devoid of human presence, now buzzed with activity. This undercurrent of activity persisted for about four days… In the Star Fall Pavilion, as Xiao Yan sat atop a giant tree, he slowly opened his eyes and gazed at the distant sky. In the western heavens, two crescent moons, one above the other, appeared silently. Simultaneously, in the starry sky, nine brilliant stars began to move, forming a straight line under countless awed gazes…
The celestial phenomenon of the dual moons and nine aligned stars heralded the tidal waves of the heavenly tide. The Sealed Lotus Demon Flame was once again descending upon the world!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage