“Ha ha, little one, your body is quite resilient. I thought you would need at least a month of rest to regain the strength to speak. It’s surprising that you have regained some strength after only half a month. It’s truly amazing,” A hearty, elderly laugh suddenly echoed through the spacious hall. Shortly after, Hai Bo Dong appeared in everyone’s sight. Seeing Hai Bo Dong, Xiao Yan smiled slightly and stood up to welcome him, then returned to his seat. Sitting on the chair, Hai Bo Dong examined Xiao Yan carefully with his eyes. After a while, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he exclaimed, “Your aura…” In Hai Bo Dong’s eyes, Xiao Yan’s aura was slightly fluctuating, similar to someone about to reach a higher level. Seeing the surprise on Hai Bo Dong’s face, Xiao Yan nodded and said softly, “Although I was badly injured this time, it seems that it also allowed me to vaguely touch the barrier of the Battle Emperor stage. If I am lucky, perhaps I can soon attempt to break through to that level.” Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong’s face brightened, and he sighed, “This kid, though battling with the likes of Yun Shan, a powerful opponent, is beneficial to you, I didn’t expect it to bring you so close to the Battle Emperor barrier.” As a Battle Emperor, Hai Bo Dong naturally knew the vast difference and difficulty in crossing the gap between Dou Wang and Battle Emperor. He had stayed at the peak Dou Wang for nearly ten years before he finally managed to break through. Now, seeing Xiao Yan’s speed of cultivation left him somewhat speechless. Smiling at Hai Bo Dong’s exclamation, Xiao Yan did not say much. Originally, due to his rapid growth in power underground, it made it even more difficult for him to progress further from the peak Dou Wang. However, after emerging from underground, no matter how much he trained, his power remained stagnant. Apart from becoming more proficient in controlling his Dou Qi, there was no other change. According to his expectations, it might take at least two years to truly enter the Battle Emperor stage. But the almost life-and-death battle with the Cloud Rending Sect, while leaving him on the brink of death, also provided endless benefits. The faint possibility of breaking through to the Battle Emperor stage was the greatest benefit. Had it not been for such a life-and-death battle, Xiao Yan could not have reached the verge of the Battle Emperor stage so quickly. Such a chance was merely a stroke of fortune. Fights on the brink of life and death could unleash a person’s hidden potential. Thus, battles remain the fastest shortcut to increase one’s power. Of course, the prerequisite is that you must survive the fight. Otherwise, any breakthrough will be meaningless. “Once you recover fully, you should enter a period of seclusion and see if you can successfully break through to the Battle Emperor stage,” Hai Bo Dong advised with a smile. Then he changed the subject, “By the way, did you send someone to call me because you needed something?”
Mentioning the matter at hand, Xiao Yan’s smile disappeared slightly. Tapping gently on the table, he asked, “I wonder if Elder Hai has heard of the Soul Hall?” “Soul Hall?” Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong was taken aback, deep in thought. After a while, he said, “The mysterious strong expert who appeared in the Cloud Rending Sect, that must be a member of this force, right?” “Yes.” “I hadn’t heard much about this force before, but because of that mysterious powerhouse, during your recovery, I collected some information about them. Although not extensive, it was enough to make out their immense strength and peculiarity. They are specifically dedicated to hunting the souls of powerful beings who have lost their physical bodies.” Hai Bo Dong frowned and spoke. “My father and teacher are now in their hands. And from what they said, it seems that they have great interest in my Xiao family; perhaps they may send more experts in the future.” A cold glint flashed in Xiao Yan’s eyes as he spoke. Hai Bo Dong nodded slightly. Though they had gotten rid of the powerful Cloud Rending Sect, the formidable and terrifying Soul Hall was another mountainous task. From the strength demonstrated by the man who claimed to be the Guardian Hawk, this mysterious force was clearly far beyond the caliber of the Cloud Rending Sect. “The Soul Hall is enigmatic and few know where they are based. The strength of the Empire of Gama cannot yet compare to theirs. In my estimation, the Soul Hall stands as one of the strongest forces throughout the entire Dou Qi Continent. Even the once-powerful Cloud Rending Sect, in our part of the North-West, could at most just lord over the empire. Forget about the whole limitless Dou Qi continent, even in just the Northwest region we are in, we can only count as a second-tier force.” Hai Bo Dong sighed bitterly. “Though the Cloud Rending Sect seems all-powerful within the Empire, at the sect conference held every five years in the Northwest, the treatment received is nothing short of mocking sneers.”
“Sect conference?” Xiao Yan was puzzled, never having heard of such a thing. “We, the Empire of Gama, find ourselves in the very Northwestern corner of this expansive world, an area that holds at least a hundred states both large and small. The Empire itself is but one of many. Each state harbors its own powerful sects, their numbers numerous and varied.”
Seeing Xiao Yan’s confusion, Hai Bo Dong smiled and explained, “The sect conference is organized by the top-tier powers in the Northwest, their intent clear: ambitious minds seeking to unite all the regions under their control, aspiring to match the mighty dominions across the lands. But such ambitions have yet to be fulfilled. The Northwest is vast, teeming with various factions, intricate relationships making consolidation anything but easy. To date, no hegemon has emerged in this land, the powerful coexist, vying for supremacy. Of course, this doesn’t include the Cloud Rending Sect, which is firmly in the ranks of the second-rate powers.”
Hai Bo Dong added, “But that was the status of the Cloud Rending Sect when Yun Mountain was absent. With the old man’s development, the Cloud Rending Sect has made significant progress, and I believe it could scrape into the top tier. Should the next sect conference be held, those who once ridiculed the Cloud Rending Sect might be silenced. Haha, too bad, that plan crumbled under your feet, lad.”
Listening to the news unveiled by Hai Bo Dong, Xiao Yan was astonished. Who knew that the Cloud Rending Sect, once a paragon of intimidation in the Empire, barely rated in the grand scheme of the Northwest’s powerhouses.
“Haha, oh, remember those Battle Emperor powerhouses we met in the Mo Family? They belong to the Heavenly Serpent Mansion – a true titan of the northwest, far surpassing the Cloud Rending Sect. In the past, they almost won the sect conference, coming close to becoming the supreme power of the Northwest,” Hai Bo Dong reminisced.
“The Heavenly Serpent Mansion?”
Xiao Yan, caught off guard, remembered the mysterious powerhouses he had met while rescuing Qing Lin from the Mo Family. The thought that their influence extended even to the Black Corner Realm surprised him. Clearly, the abilities of the Cloud Rending Sect paled in comparison.
“The Heavenly Serpent Mansion is nestled in the heart of the Northwest, within the Heavenly Serpent Kingdom. There, it holds a position unparalleled, far above what the Cloud Rending Sect ever achieved in the Empire of Gama. Even the throne changes in the kingdom bear their covert mark. Other groups exist, but they all bow to the Manor, providing ample tribute each year. The Empire, with its nascent history and remote location, rarely sees foreign martial arts giants venturing in. Most folks have no grasp of this tier. If not for Little Qing Lin, the Manor wouldn’t have graced this soil.”
Hearing these secrets, Xiao Yan was astounded. Beside him, Xiao Li and Xiao Ding marveled, having lived in the Empire, oblivious to such truths. Noticing their stupefied gazes, Hai Bo Dong chuckled, “Now, with the Cloud Rending Sect’s dissolution, no influential sect remains in the Empire.”
Seeing Hai Bo Dong’s expression, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, quietly asking, “What does the elder mean?”
“Hah, with the Soul Hall targeting your Xiao Clan, do you really think retreating into the mountains and assuming false identities is a viable option?” The elder chuckled. Xiao Yan fell silent, recalling his promise to rejuvenate the Xiao Clan. Becoming woodcutters wasn’t the solution.
“If anonymity isn’t an option, then guarding the clan with just your strength is insufficient. We need a formidable faction,” Hai Bo Dong mused. “With the fall of the Cloud Rending Sect, the timing couldn’t be more ripe. Establishing a leading faction in the Northwest, the Soul Hall won’t easily dare to threaten the Xiao Clan. Better yet, becoming the ruler of the Northwest, even the Soul Hall would tread cautiously. And your solitary search for your teacher and father would be fruitless. When might you achieve that?”
Nodding slowly, Xiao Yan acknowledged, “Elder makes a compelling point. But founding a top-tier domain from scratch—it’s not my calling. My nature resists it. Dividing my focus…my cultivation…”
“Some things don’t require personal involvement. There are better suited individuals to handle these matters. Focus on your practice, become the idle manager,” Hai Bo Dong reassured. “As for starting afresh, with your growing repute in the Empire, merely raising your flag will attract legions. And the major families watch your every step closely, aligning with you brings them greater advantage.”
Witnessing Hai Bo Dong’s jovial tone, Xiao Yan’s eyes sparked. Moments later, he narrowed them, nodding gravely, and declared, “Then, once healed, please connect me with President Fa Ma and the patriarchs. The Empire needs a new dawn!”
Hai Bo Dong nodded, smiling. He believed Xiao Yan’s aspirations should span beyond the Empire, the vast Dou Qi Continent being the true arena for his potential.
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