The spatial tremors had not yet ceased, and enormous fissures continued to spread, with chaotic energy surging wildly.
It was a long time before the cataclysmic power gradually subsided. The original mountainous terrain had sunken downwards, transforming into a basin.
Wu Meng was utterly annihilated in that violent impact.
Soul Emperor's spirit power surged out instantly, searching for Hun Jing's soul.
But he had searched every inch of this area and found nothing, shaking his head slightly.
Hun Zhang's expression was solemn, his dark eyes deep and profound. After a long silence, he bowed towards the deep pit.
He had little affection for this ancestor, separated by an unknown number of generations, and he disliked his own father.
This bow was for the rare guidance the other party had given him during his challenge.
The demise of a Seven Star Dou Saint was also a huge loss for the Soul Clan.
However, Soul Emperor showed no sadness. Hun Qiu had brought him the news he wanted to hear:
Xiao Zhan revealed that his current body was not his true body and expressed a desire to negotiate.
Soul Emperor did not appear overly eager, saying, "After I handle matters here and appease Hun Jing's direct descendants, I will go negotiate with him."
…
In the star field above Holy Pill City, only Xiao Yan remained. He was surrounded by a light green, glazed flame, and further out, there was an endless expanse of purplish-black flames.
After Hun Xiao was taken away by the "Soul Devouring Sword," Elder Mu Gu immediately moved against the weakened Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire.
A chaotic battle then erupted. Soul Hall, Pill Tower, and Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire fought independently, and the already unstable star field nearly shattered.
In the chaotic battle, the Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire's body was temporarily dispersed, leaving only its fundamental fire seed. It "panicked and fled" towards Xiao Yan, only for Qing Meng to suddenly appear and swallow it whole.
Xiao Yan gained some control over the dispersed body of the Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire, trying his best to contain those energies to prevent them from causing too much damage to the star field.
This freed up Xuan Kongzi, who, after killing an Honored Elder of Soul Hall, ended the battle.
Elder Mu Gu could only retreat helplessly, and he was also struck by Xuan Kongzi, sustaining some injuries.
While Xiao Yan was refining the Heavenly Flame, Little Fairy Doctor waited silently by herself in Pill Tower's plaza.
She sat on the edge of the high platform where Xiao Yan had refined pills that day, her two slender legs dangling naturally, her hands propped on the stone platform's edge, gazing up at the sky.
The clear, cold moonlight shone upon her, illuminating her snow-white hair. A gentle breeze blew, causing the tips of her hair to sway softly. Surrounded by the deep night, with no one else around, her figure appeared even more solitary.
The stars in the sky, vaguely outlining a giant dragon, had shifted positions, connecting to form something resembling a person sitting cross-legged.
Looking at the figure that brought her a sense of familiarity, Little Fairy Doctor smiled, as if she were by his side.
…
Hun Jing's death caused no small disturbance within the Soul Clan, especially among his direct descendants. Some found it hard to accept that their old ancestor's final thoughts were not of them, his purest bloodline descendants, but rather of Hun Zhang, a person who had never associated with their bloodline and wasn't even recorded in their family tree.
However, these murmurs of discontent all vanished after a few days. Everyone in the Soul Clan could sense an impending storm; the Soul Clan had entered a state of war preparedness!
At the edge of the highest peak of the Soul Clan, Soul Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant, repaired space, and quietly asked, "Can a Ninth-Rank Mysterious Pill be refined?"
Behind him, Hun Xuzi, the Soul Clan's chief Alchemist, pondered for a moment before shaking his head:
"No, almost all available resources have been used up. To extract the materials needed to refine a Ninth-Rank Mysterious Pill would affect the progress of other matters, and I am not entirely confident."
"In that case, so be it…" Soul Emperor shook his head slightly. "You may leave."
After Hun Xuzi departed, a section of the surrounding space suddenly distorted, and a hand emerged from within.
Hun Qiu brought Xiao Zhan to the mountaintop.
Soul Emperor turned around, his exceptionally bright eyes looking at Xiao Zhan: "I hope you can give me a satisfactory answer this time."
Xiao Zhan smiled and replied, "I have received the Soul Clan's sincerity. The biggest barrier between us has disappeared. Let's join forces and open Tuo She Ancient Emperor's dwelling together."
"Alright, then let's join forces." The two tacitly avoided mentioning what would happen after the opening, only limiting the timeframe until the opening.
"I have a question. Are you Xiao Zhan, or Xiao Alliance?" Soul Emperor asked.
"Does it matter? I am always me. At least, before you can leave this World, this will not cause an impact," Xiao Zhan replied calmly.
Soul Emperor's bright eyes suddenly deepened: "What lies beyond this World? What realm is above Dou Emperor?"
Xiao Zhan did not hide anything and answered truthfully: "Void, a vaster void. There are other Worlds, millions of different races, and also extremely aggressive Evil Clan."
"Evil Clan?"
"Yes, those Evil Clan, they invade different Worlds, enslaving the native beings of those Worlds, treating them as slaves, or as livestock for their blood." Xiao Zhan looked at Soul Emperor with a half-smile.
This once forthright middle-aged man had also become cunning under Amon's guidance.
The Worm of Spirit's subtle influence on Xiao Zhan had always existed, though it was delicate and cumulative. Even if Xiao Zhan looked back, he would only lament the influence of time and environment on himself, believing it to be a natural change in his character.
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Soul Emperor was slightly stunned and immediately connected it to the Soul Clan's current practices and the source of their abilities…
Could the Swallowing Spirit Clan be the Extraterritorial Evil Clan Xiao Zhan spoke of?
As if guessing his thoughts, Xiao Zhan continued:
"Evil Clan is just a general term. There are many branches among them, and the isolation of our World is also related to the Evil Clan.
"The seniors who departed in ancient times sealed this World. While it hindered our ascent, it also left us a pure land.
"As for what lies above Dou Emperor? You will know when you go to Great Thousand."
Soul Emperor deeply gazed at Xiao Zhan. His gaze was not on this body; it seemed to penetrate him, staring at something beyond.
Your Xiao Clan is also quite strange… Especially that ancestor named "Xiao Alliance." Could it be that your clan is also a bloodline left behind by some Evil Clan?
Soul Emperor had felt the "Celestial Worthy" corruption from the soul origin left by Amon and felt that compared to that, the Swallowing Spirit Clan seemed much more normal.
"A pure land… What an arrogant and narrow-minded approach. Escape is always the most foolish choice. True protection should be to actively confront and grow stronger through battle and slaughter." Soul Emperor scoffed at the idea of "sealing" for "protection."
After a brief thought, he shifted the topic to the cooperation between the two clans: "Our Soul Clan has already shown sincerity; now it's your turn."
Xiao Zhan, who was well-prepared, replied, "Return the souls of those Xiao Clan members you captured. Also, give me the position of Soul Hall Master. In return, I will give you the Tuoshe ancient emperor jade."
Soul Emperor did not immediately agree, falling into thought. The countless Soul Halls spread across Dou Qi Continent were also a very important fallback.
Xiao Zhan saw his hesitation and said, "I only need actual control over Soul Hall Heaven Hall and a few branch halls in the Central Plains. As for the others, I'm not interested."
"Good." Soul Emperor agreed… If it was only a few, it wouldn't significantly impact the overall situation.
In the original work, regarding the ancient clan's allied army, Heaven Hall was also given up without hesitation, and it did not affect the use of the entire grand formation.
"Let's set a suitable location… I will have the most outstanding young people of my clan deliver the ancient jade."
"Then let it be Soul Hall Heaven Hall. It's perfect for the handover to you," Soul Emperor said indifferently.