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  Xiao Yan had deliberately revealed his o Elder Qing.

  Unfortunately, the Sky Serpent Mansion was truly too far away. It was situated in the ter of the North-Western Region, and he currently had no way to learn about Qing Lin's situation.

  Xiao Ya a pang of guilt each time he thought of that pitiful little girl with a tragic background, ated that he had been too weak back then.

  Even if the iance of the Sky Serpent Mansion was truly suitable for Qing Lin, he would prefer to personally visit, ehere were no issues, and then allow her to join. It wasn't acceptable for two Dou Emperors to just e and take her away.

  That was why Xiao Yan had brought Xun Er along to intercept the Sky Serpent Mansion; obtaining the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill was sedary. Dispying his strength and spreading his o the Sky Serpent Mansion was the main goal.

  Xiao Yan was no lohe boy without any bag that he once was. On the surface, he was already a 5th-tier alchemist possessing a Heavenly Fme and the initiator of the Yan Alliareaty.

  Although the Yan Alliance couldn't pare to the Sky Serpent Mansion, having such a background might make some of the Dou Emperors in the Sky Serpent Mansion more cautious ireatment of Qing Lin. They might sider whether the future of the Yan Alliance could pose a threat to them.

  Xiao Yan's purpose in doing this was to give Qing Lin, who was in a fn nd, the background of being 'uhe prote of the Yan Alliance.'

  At this moment, Elder Qing's entire world felt shattered. She felt as if her soul was about to be extracted, suppressed by a terrifying force that left her uo trol her body.

  But she could still hear what Xiao Yan said and think clearly.

  'Oh heavens, could this persohe young master that Her Highness Qing Liioned? And the name Xiao Yan—isn't he that genius 5th-tier alchemist who retly established the Yan Alliareaty and possesses a Heavenly Fme?!' Elder Qing finally uood what was going on.

  He was warning the Sky Serpent Mansion that he would personally visit. If Qing Lin lost even a single hair, he wouldn't spare the entire Sky Serpent Mansion!

  Though she really wao say, 'The strength of the Sky Serpent Mansion is not something someone from a remote empire like yours imagine,' being grasped by the neck, she wasn't in a position to say such words.

  Then, Xiao Yan struck her abdomen with his palm aracted a brocade box from that spot.

  If not for his powerful Spiritual Strength, he wouldn't have discovered that Elder Qing's abdomen could actually fold and ceal a hidden space.

  Xiao Yan looked at the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill and internally rationalized, 'Let's sider this as the passage fee for those two wretched snakes invading the Jia Ma Empire back then.'

  He was finding a justifiable reason for his misdeed.

  Then he gazed at Elder Qing, subdued by his Soul Skill, and couldn't help but marvel at the mysterious nature of the Soul Skills created by the Hun .

  Currently, the first move of the Asura Soul Reaping Teique, 'Soul Chase,' was far from plete. Xiao Yan could subdue Elder Qiirely due to his powerful Tier 6 Spiritual Strength. If he truly cultivated it to the entry level, then by infusing his killing i into his Spiritual Strength, he could directly kill Elder Qing from a distance.

  'Soul Chase' not only allowed one's Spiritual Strength to silently ihe oppo's body to trol or extract their soul but also could leave a soul imprint, allowing for a soul chase over thousands of miles, log onto the marked soul with o hide.

  Xiao Yan had only achieved a tiny fra of this, using it like a soul seal to suppress the oppo's soul and prevent them from trolling their body. He was still far from reag the entry level.

  But it was still extremely terrifying.

  Xiao Yan looked toward the battlefield where Xun Er eak Dou Spirit Xun Er was cutting through her oppos like slig melons aables. Especially when she used a certain energy handprint Dou Teique; even several Dou Spirits w together couldn't withstand a single light palm strike from her.

  'This girl is too kied.' Xiao Yan smiled wryly. Xun Er was very gentle itacks. Fet about killing, she hadn't even seriously injured anyone.

  "Alright, take your Elder Qing and leave." Xiao Yan casually tossed the soul-stunned Elder Qing back to the magical beast smen who resembled Snake-People.

  "Elder Qing!!"

  "Elder Qing has beeed!"

  Xiao Yan had defeated Elder Qing so swiftly that the other experts from the Sky Serpent Mansion hadn't even had time to react.

  Their gazes toward Xiao Yan ged from initial disdain to fear. Was this truly a Dou Spirit? Not a Dou Emperor in disguise?!

  Elder Qing slowly regained her senses and said with difficulty, "Let's... let's go."

  Xiao Yan did not stop the people of the Sky Serpent Mansion from leaving. Although he had taken the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill, it was just a pill after all. But if he were to kill them all, that would genuinely offend the Sky Serpent Mansion beyond reciliation.

  He did not yet have the ability to overturire Sky Serpent Mansion.

  "Xiao Yan ge-ge is so amazing, subduing a Dou King so quickly," Xun Er said as she deactivated her Secret Teique, her beautiful eyes filled with curiosity as she looked at Xiao Yan.

  Xiao Yan's strength had indeed exceeded her expectations. Even among the younger geion of the Gu , it would be impossible to defeat an intermediate-star Dou King so swiftly.

  "Don't tease me. I just took a shortcut. Now my Dou Qi is almost depleted, aivating the Skyfire Three Mysterious ge has side effects. Xun Er will have to carry me back wheime es and I 't move ter."

  Xiao Yaivated the Skyfire Three Mysterious ge with a whoosh. Instantly, a sharp pain and weakness spread through his body.

  However, in the sed, a wisp of white fme surged from his Acceptance Soul, permeating every cell in his body. A warm sensation spread, rapidly repairing his physical injuries and minimizing the side effects of the Skyfire Three Mysterious ge.

  'No wonder Aor Xiao Xuan chose the Yin-Yang Twin Fmes as one of the Heavenly Fmes. The effect of this Life Fme perfectly teracts the side effects of the Skyfire Three Mysterious ge.' Xiao Yan began to uand his aor's thoughtful iions.

  He hadn't lied to Xun Er. He was able to defeat Elder Qing so quickly just irely because of his powerful Dou Teiques.

  If not for the evolution of the Fme Mantra, he would have had to colpse after unleashing that string of powerful moves.

  Whether it was the Oe Bst imbued with the Ten Thousa Fme or the Fme Splitting Tsunami, they both ed areme amount of Dou Qi. He had essentially emptied his 'mana bar' in one burst of attacks.

  His only advantage was his powerful Spiritual Strength.

  Xiao Yan's throat moved slightly as he stared ily at the cold jade box. His previously calm heart started pounding violently once again. Even his posure was greatly weakened in the face of such a rare treasure.

  He carefully lifted a small gap in the box's lid. A ray of golden light immediately shot out. Xiao Yan quickly closed it again when he saw this. His cautious behavior seemed as if he feared attrag some elite experts. After all, uhe temptation of a priceless treasure like the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill, most people would be uo suppress their inner greed and would directly kill to seize the treasure. Only a very small number of experts who had reached a certain level or people with no desires could resist. And such people in the Bck-er Region were so few they could be ignored.

  "Xuhis Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill is for you." Xiao Yan hahe cold jade brocade box to Xun Er.

  Xun Er was startled for a moment before asking, "For me?"

  Xiao Yan nodded and said, "This Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill doesn't increase strength, but after ing it, if you ever suffer severe injuries or are on the brink of death iure, with some luck, this thing trigger a transformation. Whether it's your body, soul, or even Dou Qi, all reach a higher level!

  "Even if you suffer fatal injuries iure, you won't have to worry about your life. It save you once."

  Xun Er smiled gently, reag out to lightly push back the brocade box. Shaking her head, she said, "This pill won't have any effect if Xuakes it. Due to certain reasons, Xun Er ot utilize the effects of the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill, and it won't allow Xuo undergo a transformation.

  "This Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill should be used by Xiao Yan ge-ge instead. Xun Er doesn't ."

  Xiao Yan pondered inwardly, 'The Dou God Bloodline of the Gu Xun Er's body is so powerful that it even rehe effects of the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill iive!'

  "Hahaha, sineither of you wants it, why not give it to this old man!"

  Just then, a sinister ugh echoed from all dires. A cag voice, like that of a night owl, sounded from within the forest. Then, a powerful aura suddenly soared skyward. A blood-red figure shot out from the forest, finally nding steadily atop a rge tree. His slightly glowing red eyes emitted an indescribably cold and sinister aura as he sed Xiao Yan and Xun Er.

  The sound of footsteps emerged from the forest as over a hundred warriors dressed in the Blood Sect's attire surrouhe duo.

  "Haha, I didn't expect that besides the Three Thousand Lightning Movement, I could also obtain the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill this time!" Fan Ling stepped out from the crowd.

  He had initially thought that by robbing the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill from the Sky Serpent Mansion, he wouldn't be able to spare attention to snatch the Three Thousand Lightning Movement that Xiao Yan had bid on. He never imagihat Xiao Yan would alset the Sky Serpent Mansion, giving him the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with oone.

  "I thought you could hide a bit longer. Didn't expect you'd lose patience so soon." Xiao Yan flipped his hand and pced the brocade box into his ste ring.

  Xiao Yan didn't take the Blood Sect's encirclement to heart at all.

  He had long noticed that Fan Ling had sent people to tail him and also khat ae Dou Emperor from the Blood Sect had been lying in ambush here, waiting for the Sky Serpent Mansion.

  "Haha, you're still sharp-tongued even at death's door! However, if you're willing to serve my Blood Sect, I spare your life. We are i need of a 5th-tier alchemist." The Blood Sect's You Master Fan Ling ughed, though his smile couldn't hide a sinister ess.

  Xiao Yan stood with his hands csped behind his back, gazing at the coldly smiling Fan Ling. If the Blood Sect had only raised the bids against him at the au or bought the map fragment at a high price, he would have at most goo the Blood Sect to retrieve the map fragment. After all, 'highest bidder wins' was the au's rule.

  But now, the Blood Seo surround and kill him and Xun Er, intending to rob the items he had legitimately acquired at the au. Therefore, this Blood Sect already had a way to die.

  "Blood Sect, I'm giving you a ow. If you retreat immediately and leave the map fragment behind, I pretend nothing happened." Xiao Yan's face remained calm, his hands still behind his back. It was as if he and Xun Er had surrouhe hundreds of Blood Sect members instead of the other way around.

  It was as if the only Dou Emperor present was Xiao Yan himself, not the Blood Sect's Sect Master, Fan Lao.

  Fan Ling and the others from the Blood Sect were stunned upon hearing these words, then burst into ughter. "Hahaha, are all alchemists so good at telling jokes? You're really making me die ughing."

  "Your Secret Teique is indeed formidable, but how many times you still use it? Besides, my father is a genuine Dou Emperor—not someone like Elder Qing, a mere Dou King!"

  Xun Er asked in a low voice, "Xiao Yan ge-ge, do we need Old Ling to make a move?"

  Of course Xiao Yan could afford to be fearless! Ling Ying might not be willing to help him rob others, but if Xun Er were attacked, he would definitely intervene.

  With a faint smile, Xiao Yan shook his head and said, "If we rely on Old Ling whenever we enter trouble, it'll be easy to develop dependence."

  "When I shout 'run' in a moment, you head straight toward Jia Nan City."

  Xun Er could barely keep up with Xiao Yan's train of thought. So, in the end, they were pnning to flee?

  Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened as he suddeed with an intense blood-red fme from his entire body. Inwardly, he shouted:

  Skyfire Three Mysterious ge—Beast Spirit ge!

  Mad Lion t—Ten Thousa Fme Sea!

  "Roar!!"

  The een Thousa Fme seemed to e alive as tless fiery beasts of various shapes surged out from the sea of fire.

  Xiao Yan frantically ed Dou Qi to catalyze the Ten Thousa Fme, which surged toward the Blood Sect members from all dires like tidal waves.

  "Heavenly Fme?!!"

  "Ahhh!!!"

  Miserable screams rang out oer ahe blood mist defenses employed by the Blood Sect disciples were pletely uo resist the Ten Thousa Fme.

  Terrified voices followed: "Damn it, he actually possesses a Heavenly Fme?!"

  When Fan Lao had been lurking in the distance, he had vaguely sehat something was off but couldn't pinpoint it. Now he uood—it was a Heavenly Fme!

  The Blood Sect's Qi Methods were unorthodox, specializing ih of yin and cold. Therefore, they naturally cshed with fire attributes. Of course, this csh was only with ordinary fire-attribute Dou Qi. If they entered something like a Heavenly Fme, it would be like a mouse meeting a cat—absolute suppression with ance.

  The first rule of the Blood Sect clearly stated that upon entering a strong cultivator possessing a Heavenly Fme, they should retreat immediately! This showed just how severely the Blood Sect's Qi Methods were restrained by Heavenly Fmes. In fact, when fighting against an expert with a Heavenly Fme, the Blood Sect members could hardly exert even fifty or sixty pert of their strength.

  Fan Lao's Dou Emperor strength erupted with a thunderous explosion. His terrifying Dou Qi resisted the attacks of the Ten Thousa Fme.

  A scorg shockwave spread out from within the blood mist. Uhe rolling wave, the blood mist shrouding the clearing was directly thinned by the searing aura.

  Two figures instantly broke through the air. Xiao Yan's voice transmitted from afar: "Blood Sect, you'd better take good care of that item. Before long, I will personally e to retrieve it."

  "Hmph, don't even think about leaving! Boing Blood Deg Palm!"

  Fan Lao's bizarre blood-red palms locked onto the tidly fleeing figures. He struck toward the sky.

  An overwhelming surge of blood energy came crashing down, and the chilling force within the blood mist instantly enveloped their bodies!

  Xiao Yan was just about to use the Heavy Xuan Ruler to unleash the Fme Splitting Tsunami when he saw the giant bloody energy hand filled with a ing stench behind him. But Xun Er made her move first.

  "Open Mountain Seal!"

  Xun Er's hands quickly formed seals. A golden energy handprint densed in her right hand. Instantly, the energy of the world seemed to go berserk as it madly surged into this golden handprint.

  Her beautiful eyes focused as she struck out with her palm toward the bloody energy hand.

  The bloody mist hand halted with a thunderous boom. The golden energy handprint had actually blocked Fan Lao's Dou Teique!

  "Run!"

  Xiao Yan grabbed Xun Er's delicate hand. Taking advantage of the moment when the Open Mountain Seal blocked the attack, he led her away and disappeared over the horizon.

  "Damn it!" Fan Lao smashed a rge tree beside him with a palm strike. How could he have imagihat, with his Dou Emperor strength, he couldn't capture two individuals who hadn't even reached the Dou King realm?

  If that 2-star Dou Spirit possessing a Heavenly Fme restraiheir Blood Sect's Qi Methods, then the Dou Teique unleashed by that Dou Grandmaster actually mao briefly obstruct his Boing Blood Deg Palm.

  This realization caused his face to darken. Without a doubt, the potential of these two was arming.

  At this time, Xiao Yan and Xun Er, who had flown beyond the range of Bck Mark City, g each other. Xun Er's little heart ounding wildly. This was the first time in her life doing such a thing, so it was natural for her to feel a mix of nervousness aement.

  Though she k wasn't right, she couldn't help but feel a thrill.

  "Xuhat Dou Teique of yours is truly formidable. It even block a Dou Emperor's Dou Teique."

  Xun Er blinked and said, "If Xiao Yan ge-ge wants to learn it, Xun Er teach you."

  "No, no. Dou Teiques of this level definitely 't be passed on casually. I don't want Xuo get scolded." Xiao Yan waved his hand to refuse.

  "It's a pity that the map fragment is still in the hands of the Blood Sect. We couldn't snatch it." Xun Er had already been led astray by Xiao Yan and actually felt it was a shame they didn't mao rob it.

  "It's fine. When I reach the Dou King realm, that map fragment will still be mine." A strange light fshed in Xiao Yan's eyes. It was clear he didn't io wait until he reached the Dou King realm to retrieve the map fragment.

  Not long after, Xiao Yan and Xun Er returo Jia Nan Academy. The day, Xiao Ning, Xiao Yu, and the other three also returned safely.

  …

  Three days ter, och-bck Great Pins of the Bck-er Region, there was nothing but monotonous bess as far as the eye could see. trasted against the somewhat dim sky, an oppressive and irritable atmosphere lingered over the pin. It was no wohat chaotic ws would breed in su eerie pce.

  The Great Pins of the Bck-er Region were not only vast but also famous for their Bck Storms. Just over a dozen minutes ago, the sky had been clear, but now it was covered by an eerie bck fog that obscured the entire horizon. Looking ahead, one's line of sight was severely obstructed.

  In the face of the Bck Storm, maps were useless, as one would still get lost inside.

  "Who exactly are you people? Why are you hunting me? I don't recall ever bearing any grudges with you!" Within the Bck Storm, a crimson soul body wavered in the raging winds. At this moment, he faced the darkness, his face twisted with fear and panic.

  "Jie Jie Jie."

  Suddenly, a spine-chilling ughter echoed from the darkness. Then, a bck shot out like a serperemely agile as it coiled around the crimson soul body.

  "No matter how glorious and powerful you were in life, once you bee a soul body, you bee a hunting target for my Hall of Souls."

  No matter how the soul body struggled, it couldn't escape the binding of the soul and was ultimately absorbed into the pitch-bck .

  No one khat hidden within the boundless grassnds of the Great Pin in the Bck-er Region was a branch hall of the Hall of Souls.

  At this moment, a bck-robed figure slowly walked to an open spad stopped. If one looked closely, they would discover that the space here was folded. A Space Lock existed here.

  'This should be the pce—the branch hall of the Hall of Souls in the Bck-er Region.' Xiao Yan smiled. The branch hall of the Hall of Souls was only a few kilometers away from Bck Mark City.

  'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Using evil to bat evil. Blood Sect, since you've been ruthless, don't bme me for using the same methods against you.'