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  A buzzing sound rang out as the entire Hall of Souls erupted in a cacophony of ghostly wails and howls.

  A Heaven Grade Protector possessed authority over a branch of the Hall of Souls. In addition, one could trol the allocation of resources and personnel within it.

  This branch hall inally beloo Protector Wu. Norotector Wu had been killed and his soul imprint had vanished, and with Xiao Yan's Soul and Token officially activated and promoted to the Heaven Grade, imprinting his own soul imprint onto this branch hall naturally brought it under his trol.

  Xiao Yan could have activated his Soul and Token to be promoted to Protector long ago. Two months prior, he had already qualified for promotion when he opehe Soul Path to ehe Treasure Hall and exged Yao Ao's soul body for soul points.

  The soul body of a 7th-tier alchemist was extremely valuable. pleting a task worth 100,000 soul points at once allowed oo be promoted to Proteoreover, Xiao Yan didn't just obtain 100,000 soul points but 180,000, which directly elevated him to a Heaven Grade Protector.

  However, he had not imprinted his soul imprint in this Hall of Souls branch. Without leaving a soul imprint, he naturally couldn't be promoted to Protector or activate the Soul and Token.

  Hun Huzi had sent him to the Misty Cloud Sect's Hall of Souls precisely to have him activate his Soul and Token here. If he couldn't even reach the rank of Protector, the trial would be sidered a failure.

  But Xiao Yan had beeant.

  Leaving a soul imprint was akin to leaving traces of his whereabouts. Through the soul imprint and the Soul and Token, others could locate him, leaving him o hide.

  This was aremely high-risk move.

  However, after learning the history of the Xiao , he made up his mind to leave his soul imprint in the Hall of Souls. He wao use the Hall of Souls to learn about the movements of those so-called Dou God s.

  One ot obtaiiger's cub without entering the tiger's den!

  "A Soul and Token?! You're a member of my ?" Hun Lu looked in astonishment at the Soul and Token floating before Xiao Yan.

  He could sehat Xiao Yan had just left his own soul imprint in this branch hall, and Xiao Yan's Soul and Token was that of a Heaven Grade Protector! This meant that Xiao Yan had directly taken trol of this branch.

  Xiao Yan's soul imprint formed the character "炎" (Yan), which also served as his title—Protector Yan!

  The Soul and Token slowly fell into Xiao Yan's palm. When he saw the Soul Envoys prostrate themselves on the ground, he pced his hands behind his bad walked step by step through the crowd.

  As he approached Hun Lu, the ckeys oher side could no longer bear it. They k on one knee and excimed, "Greetings, Protector Yan."

  Only then did Xiao Yan stop, satisfied. A deep voice emanated from within the Soul Robe: "I am not a member of the Hun ."

  "Not of my ?" Hun Lu frowned. He khere were only three ways to obtain a Soul and Token.

  The first was being a native member of the Hun the Hun Realm. During the ing-of-age ceremony, if their Dou God Bloodline reached Grade 4, they would not only be granted a mark but also bestowed a Soul and Token.

  The Xiao had a simir practice. Those who didn't reach 7th-stage Dou Disciple during their ing-of-age ceremony would be sent to other cities to develop erritories.

  The sed way was for non- members who made signifit tributions within the Hall of Souls. Powerful experts who reached the Dou Vee realm could be granted a Soul and Token, essentially being recruited.

  The third, and rarest, was being directly bestowed one by a powerful figure within the .

  Hun Lu could sense Xiao Yan's cultivation level; after all, his Soul Robe was somewhat outdated. He knew Xiao Yan couldn't be the sed type. Since he wasn't the first type either, he could only be the third.

  Xiao Yan could hear the doubt and warihat had appeared in Hun Lu's tone. He chuckled deeply and said, "It seems someone named Hun Huzi gave it to me."

  "Given by Lord Pill Saint?!! You're the alchemist from that pn?!" Hun Lu gasped upon hearing Hun Huzi's name. As a member of the Hun , he had heard about a mysterious pn within the , and the person in charge of this pn was Hun Huzi himself!

  Moreover, Hun Huzi had indeed oned the ti in soul body form in search of outstanding alchemists, during which he bestowed a Soul and Token upon a talented individual.

  That person ter betrayed his peers, joihe Hall of Souls, and not only became an Honorable Elder of the Hall of Souls but also an 8th-tier alchemist known as Old Mu Gu.

  With a whoosh, the Ten Thousa Fme appeared in Xiao Yan's palm. The blood-red Heavenly Fme instantly illuminated much of the hall's darkness.

  "A Heavenly Fme!" Hun Lu no longer had any doubts, nor could he eain any. After all, Xiao Yan could even produce a Soul and Token.

  Moreover, what Xiao Yan said was also the truth!

  "I killed Protector Wu. What will you do about it?" Xiao Yan stood before Hun Lu. From his words, it was clear that even within the Hun , Hun Huzi held aremely high status.

  Hun Lu's throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed hard. Acc to normal regutions, peers of the same rank shouldn't kill each other. Though Xiao Yan was Heaven Grade, he was still a Protector.

  But Xiao Yan had a Soul and Token! And it was given by Hun Huzi!

  "Protector Wu Ying itted grave misdeeds, harming his rades. Fortunately, Protector Yan intervened, sparing the branch from disaster. Protector Yan should naturally be credited for this meritorious deed." Hun Lu was 'sensible'; he waived any iigation and directly pinned all the bme on Protector Wu.

  Xiao Yan casually tossed Protector Wu's Soul Stoo Hun Lu and said leisurely, "I pn to appoint someone else to repce Protector Wu's position and mahis brany behalf. There's no problem with that, is there?"

  Hun Lu accepted the Soul Stone and ughed, "Jie Jie Jie, of course there's no problem. Everything in this branch hall belongs to Protector Yan. As long as the required soul bodies are submitted acc tutions, it's permissible."

  "Due to Wu Ying's as, the Misty Cloud Sect branch's soul quota won't be audited this time."

  Xiao Yan shook his head and said, "No need; proceed acc to protocol."

  Hun Lu was momentarily stuhen nodded. He led his subordio the deepest part of the hall, where the Soul Altar stood. Pg his own Soul and Token oar, it dispyed a series of numbers.

  The moment he saw the numbers, Hun Lu's expression ged dramatically! Because Xiao Yan had submitted Yao Ao's soul body at this Soul Altar, the credits naturally ted toward this branch hall's achievements.

  "Is it enough?" Xiao Yan asked calmly, having anticipated this.

  "Enough, enough, more than enough! Protector Yan is truly formidable. This is parable to some loablished branch halls that have been around for hundreds of years."

  Hun Lu walked to Xiao Yan's side and said, "I will have my subordinates deliver the Heaven Grade Protector's Soul Robe to Protector Yan as soon as possible."

  "Mm." Xiao Yan merely nodded slightly, not saying anything else.

  When Hun Lu saw that Xiao Yan paid him no further attention, he gritted his teeth and took out a brocade box from his ste ring. The moment he ope, a medial fragrahat made one's soul feel refreshed assailed the senses.

  "This is a peak tier 6 Little Soul Bck Purple Pill. It enhahe Spiritual Strength of cultivators below the Perfected Mortal State. It's worth 20,000 soul points, even more precious than the Zong Breaking Pill."

  Xiao Yan's eyes focused, and he couldn't help but breathe more rapidly as he gazed at the pill in the brocade box. 20,000 soul points!! That's not cheap at all! Do the Hun members earn soul points so easily?

  Moreover, it was a medial pill that could directly increase Spiritual Strength. One could imagine how precious it was!

  Hun Lu relutly closed the brocade box, ha to Xiao Yan, and said, "This is a gift to gratute Protector Yan on your promotion to Heaven Grade. I only hope that if Protector Yas Lord Pill Saint iure, you might put in a good word for me."

  Xiao Yan's expression grew solemn. He once again gained a new uanding of Hun Huzi's status within the Hun .

  "Jie Jie Jie, of course, that's not a problem. Iure, there will be many areas in this North-Western Region where I'll need Enforcer Hun Lu's support." Xiao Yan's ughter was genuine. Who wouldn't ugh after receiving such a precious gift?!

  A smile appeared on Hun Lu's face upon hearing these words. He also ughed, "Jie Jie Jie, Protector Yan is too polite. I too have many areas where I'll o rely on Protector Yan. It's gettioday; I still o i other branch halls, so I won't stay any longer."

  The two of them looked at each other and both let out a 'Jie Jie Jie' ughter.

  This corporate tradition was truly very... cultured.

  Xiao Yan politely nodded and said with cupped hands, "Then I won't keep Enforcer Hun Lu any longer."

  After sensing that Hun Lu and his two panions had pletely left, Xiao Yan's expression instantly ged. He murmured, "At least things have stabilized a bit now. With this Enforcer e, perhaps I learn about some matters in advance."

  "Sigh, Aor, this truly is a game on nightmare difficulty."

  Xiao Yan walked out from the room with the Soul Altar and found that those Soul Envoys were still kneeling on the ground. One could imagine what kind of tyrannical rule Protector Wu had implemented back then.

  "Rise."

  "Yes, Protector Yan!"

  All the Soul Envoys were wearing Soul Robes, but Xiao Yan could sehat they were all looking at him with reverend even fear. After all, a Heaven Grade Protector stood before them, and Protector as oh Grade, had died at his hands. How could they not be reverent and fearful?

  After p for a moment, Xiao Yan said in a low voice, "In a few days, I will have someone e to mahis branch hall on my behalf. Treat him as you would treat me!"

  "Uood!"

  After arranging everything, Xiao Yahe Hall of Souls. He ultimately had to leave the Jia Ma Empire aurn to Jia Nan Academy. After all, Xun Er was still waiting for him there.

  …

  Jia Nan Academy, an a institution situated in the ter of the Bck-er Region. For thousands of years, the elite experts who had emerged from here all possessed illustrious reputations on the ti and anded respe their respective regions.

  The most terrifying thing about an academy was not how strong its faculty was, but the thousands upon thousands of experts who had graduated from it. If one day Jia Nan Academy faced a crisis of destru and summohose experts back, it was hard to imagine how terrifying that force would be...

  At this moment, atop the lush rear mountain of the Outer Academy of Jia Nan Academy, stood a graceful young dy dressed in a light green dress. Around her slender waist urple sash that atuated her alluring figure.

  She faced the boundless white mist beyond the mountain peak. Her soft, silky bck hair cascaded down her fragrant shoulders, stopping only at her willow-like waist.

  The young dy stood with her hands behind her back. Her tall and slender figure, set against the faint white mist around her, was like a pure lotus blooming amidst the mundane world—transdent and uniquely spirited.

  "Young Miss." Ling Ying gradually emerged from the shadows behind Xun Er, kneeling on one knee as he spoke.

  "Old Ling, you've finally returned. How did it go?" The young dy slowly turned around. A charming smile appeared on her elegant and delicate face, instantly outshining all the flowers. The colors of the surrounding forest seemed to gather upon her, making it difficult for oo look away.

  Ling Ying couldn't help but smile wryly. He had rarely seen Xun Er so impatient, and the few times he had, it was all because of that young man named Xiao Yan.

  "How should I put it... I only say that Young Master Xiao Yan is truly... formidable."

  The young dy pursed her lips into a smile, thinking of the young man who occupied her thoughts. Her cool voice softened siderably. She g Ling Ying, and then a blush that would drive the entire Jia Nan Academy wild appeared on her cheeks. She gently asked, "Old Ling, how is he doing?"

  Two months ago, after Xiao Yan had entrusted the letter and pills to Ling Ying, he had promised to return soon. But who khat Xiao Yan, that man whose words couldn't be trusted, would make Xun Er wait for two whole months without returning!

  Xun Er had no choice but to send Ling Ying back to the Jia Ma Empire to take a look. What Ling Ying saw shocked even him. In just two months, the Misty Cloud Sect had been attacked by a mysterious force, suffering heavy casualties, and Yun Shan had died in battle!

  Moreover, Xiao Yan had founded something called the Yan Alliance!

  The whirlwind of events in those two months made Ling Ying feel as if decades had passed. How could the Jia Ma Empire have undergone such earth-shattering ges in a mere two months?

  As Xun Er listeo Ling Ying's report, her brows furrowed more and more.

  "A mysterious force? it be iigated?" Xun Er asked in a deep voice.

  Ling Ying shook his head and said, "By the time I arrived, the battle had already ended some time ago. There's no way to iigate now."

  "Young Miss, do you suspect it might be the Hun ? But if it were the Hun , the entire Jia Ma Empire, or eveire North-Western Region, would have instantly turned into mountains of corpses and seas of blood."

  Xun Er said, "Could it be the Hall of Souls? Those ghostly things hunt alchemists and soul bodies everywhere. They might have set their sights on Xiao Yan ge-ge."

  A golden light fshed in her eyes, and a murderous i emanated from her, causing even Ling Ying to feel a chill.

  Xiao Yan was not only a 5th-tier alchemist but also one who possessed a Heavenly Fme. It was very normal for him to be targeted by the Hall of Souls.

  "Young Miss, please rest assured. With Young Master Xiao Yan's current influehe ordinary branch halls 't do anything to him, and it's uhat an Honorable Elder would easily make a move," Ling Ying said.

  Upon hearing these words, Xun Er finally felt a bit more at ease. She also admired Xiao Yan's clever methods—actually able to make so many powerful experts fight for him.

  Seeing that Xun Er had calmed down, Ling Ying took out a token from his ste ring. A hint of disgust appeared on Xun Er's face the moment she saw the token.

  "Young Miss, the elders in the believe that si's been firmed that the Tou She A God's Jade was lost during the Xiao 's dee, there's no need for you to tiaying outside. They are summoning you back to the ." Ling Ying broke out in a cold sweat as he forced himself to speak.

  This was a recall order, and it wasn't the first time. Previous times had been fended off by Xun Er with various excuses.

  "I'm not going back. The whereabouts of the Tou She A God's Jade are still unknown." Xun Er snorted coldly and turned her head away decisively.

  Ling Ying looked helpless. He naturally khat this was just an excuse. They had been searg for over ten years without finding anything. What was left to search for?

  "Young Miss, your bloodline has already merged with the Heavenly Fme within your body. The voices in the calling for your return are growing louder. I heard that not only the various Elders but evehree Immortals believe that you shouldn't tiaying outside. If this goes on, I'm afraid even the Head won't be able to let you tinue being willful," Ling Ying said haltingly.

  Whoosh!! A golden fme shot out from Xun Er's finger, nding ooken and instantly melting it.

  "Old Ling, just pretend you never saw this token," Xun Er said, her back fag Ling Ying as she looked toward the dire of the Jia Ma Empire.

  Ling Ying smiled bitterly, not knowing what kind of magic that young man possessed to make Xun Er behave like this.

  …

  Day after day passed. After Hun Lu delivered the Soul Robes, it was naturally time to bid farewell.

  On a mountain peak in the Misty ountain Range, Xiao Yan sat on the grass, looking at the sery of the Misty Cloud Sect. Three years ago, he'd never have imagined he'd take over the Misty Cloud Sect.

  "You're leaving?"

  Yun Yun's voice drifted from behind. A gentle breeze lifted her hair as she stood elegantly in a white gown. Her jet-bck, silky hair cascaded down her fragrant shoulders. As the breeze blew, her clothes fluttered, giving her an otherworldly and serene appearance.

  "Mm, it's been over a year since I left Jia Nan Academy. The Xiao has also beeled. It's time for me to return to Jia Nan Academy to tinue my studies." Xiao Yan bit on a bde of grass, letting the bitter juice flow over his tongue.

  Yun Yun sat beside Xiao Yan, looking at his youthful side profile, a smile appearing on her face. She herself didn't know what kind of feelings she had for Xiao Yan.

  She looked closely at that handsome young face. A hint of tenderness appeared in her bright eyes. pared to when they first met in the cave, Xiao Yan had lost his youthful y and gained maturity.

  "The weather is getting colder. Time to head back. The Misty Cloud Seow has my eldest brother here. If you feel troubled about what happeo Yun Shan, you travel around the Jia Ma Empire to take your mind off things. This world is just like this; the weak are preyed upon." Xiao Yan reached out to tuck a strand of Yun Yun's hair that had been blown astray by the wind behind her ear. His fingers lightly caressed her pretty face.

  He khat Yun Yun still couldn't let go of what happeo Yun Shan. To Yun Yun, Yun Shan was like a foster father. For him to suddenly bee like this, no one could accept it. Even her ow had nearly beeroyed.

  "Mm, perhaps I'll travel around the Jia Ma Empire when I have time."

  Xiao Yan walked down the mountain and saw Nan Yanran waiting for Yun Yun at the foot of the peak. He smiled and said, "There's o bee a servant or sve. Just take good care of your Master."

  With that, he unfurled his Eagle Wings and soared toward the Xiao 's residence.

  Watg Xiao Yan fly away, Nan Yanran looked at Yun Yun beside her and curiously asked, "Master, is there something going oween you two?"

  A faint blush colored Yun Yun's cheeks. "What could there be? I only helped him a few times, and he said he owes me, that's all."

  Nan Yanran houghtfully and agreed, "No wonder I sometimes feel strange when I look at him; turns out I feel like I owe him."

  ? ? ? ?

  Yun Yun looked at her disciple with a strange expression. This seemed a bit off?

  …

  Throughout the entire day, Xiao Ya aside his alchemy and cultivation to spend time with his family, drinking and chatting with his father and two elder brothers until te at night.

  When Xiao Yan saw that his brothers and father were drunk, he forced the alcohol out of his system and flew toward the Miteer Au House.

  "I thought you'd fotten about your Elder Sister?" Ya Fei looked at the figure that suddenly appeared at the office door, her beautiful eyes carrying a hint of pyful reproach.

  Xiao Yan slowly walked into the office, spread his hands, and sat in a chair as he said, "That's why I've e to see Sister Ya Fei, haven't I?"

  Ya Fei put down the pen in her hand, walked behind Xiao Yan, aly massaged the acture points on his head. With a touch of , she said, "You seem a bit tired."

  Xiao Yan slowly rexed his body as he felt that just-right massage and leaned ba the soft chair. He sighed and said wearily, "I've entered some troublesome matters."

  Ya Fei didn't say anything more and tio massage Xiao Yaly. He didn't say anythiher, just closed his eyes and rexed his body, enjoying the soothing touch of those delicate hands.

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  END OF VOL 2

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