"Xiao Family, Xiao Li."
"You are from the Xiao Family?" Protector Wu raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.
"I was just thinking of going to your Xiao Family, and you delivered yourself right to my doorstep. Perfect, I needed a guide."
Protector Wu could tell that Xiao Li was a One-Star Dou Huang.
To reach One-Star Dou Huang at this age, in the Jia Ma Empire, was indeed considered a remarkable genius.
But to Protector Wu, he was too weak.
A mere One-Star Dou Huang, he could easily handle him.
"I have business at your Xiao Family. Guide me, and you can avoid death," Protector Wu said.
Xiao Li curled his lips into a meaningful, cold smile and held up three fingers.
"Three moves. If you can withstand my three moves, I will guide you."
"Huh?" Protector Wu was stunned.
Something seemed off.
Shouldn't he be the one saying those lines?
A mere Dou Huang dared to say he could take down a Dou Zong within three moves?
He simply wasn't putting him in his eyes!
"Are all you Xiao Family members so stubborn? Three moves. If you can injure me within three moves, I will leave the Jia Ma Empire immediately!" Protector Wu declared.
How could he tolerate Xiao Li speaking such arrogant words to him?
If he, a dignified Dou Zong, were to be defeated by a One-Star Dou Huang, he wouldn't have the face to stay, even without others saying anything.
Xiao Li smiled, said no more, and instead raised the long spear in his hand, thrusting it forward.
"First move."
The moment the spear thrust out, it was as if heaven and earth returned to nothingness, and time ceased to flow.
Protector Wu immediately felt himself locked down by a strange power emanating from Xiao Li's long spear—it was a power containing life and death, as if he had fallen into the cycle of six reincarnations, where life and death were no longer his to command.
Heaven-grade Low-level Dou Technique: Cycle of Life and Death Spear!
Protector Wu quickly poured all the Dou Qi within him, striking out with his palm. Endless soul black mist clashed with Xiao Li's long spear.
Bang!
As the attacks collided, Protector Wu's attack was almost directly shattered, and the overbearing force from the spear tip violently pushed him back.
This spear strike failed to directly pierce through Protector Wu's body.
He was, after all, a Dou Zong, while Xiao Li was only a One-Star Dou Huang.
For this attack to push him back was already quite remarkable.
Xiao Li wasn't bothered by missing the first strike. He immediately launched his second attack.
"Second move!"
He raised his hand from a distance, grabbing towards Protector Wu.
Immediately after, a massive soul hand appeared above Protector Wu, directly grabbing down at his soul!
Earth-grade Low-level Soul Dou Technique: Soul-Tearing Hand!
Soul attacks were unique to Alchemists, impossible to guard against, and often produced miraculous effects.
However, people from the Soul Hall were also adept at dealing with souls, and most of them were soul bodies themselves, so Soul Dou Techniques had a more pronounced effect on soul bodies.
Protector Wu initially thought Xiao Li's attack was just an ordinary Dou Technique, so he merely circulated his Dou Qi defensively.
But when the Soul-Tearing Hand's soul attack bypassed the ordinary physical defense and struck Protector Wu's soul directly, he realized something was wrong, but it was already too late.
"Ah—!"
The attack, which reached deep into his soul, made Protector Wu let out a mournful scream.
If it weren't for their souls being inherently much stronger than ordinary people, Xiao Li's attack could have directly torn his soul to shreds!
"This is a Soul Dou Technique?!"
Protector Wu's eyes flashed with horror.
He never expected Xiao Li to have mastered a Soul Dou Technique.
One should know that even in the Central Plains, where sects abound, not many people had mastered Soul Dou Techniques.
"Looks like you have good taste. That was the second move."
"There's one last move. Let's see if you can take it."
Xiao Li's lips curled into a meaningful smile. Immediately after, he conjured a golden banner from his palm, which then rapidly enlarged and flew into the air.
soul suppressing banner!
This was a weapon specifically designed for soul bodies. When Xiao Li first obtained the soul suppressing banner, he knew it would become a powerful weapon against the Soul Hall.
The soul suppressing banner could forcibly suppress soul bodies whose cultivation level did not exceed Xiao Li's by one major realm.
Protector Wu's original strength was indeed one major realm higher than Xiao Li's.
However, the Soul-Tearing Hand had severely wounded Protector Wu, making him utterly unable to resist the soul suppressing banner now.
The soul suppressing banner emitted a dazzling light, transforming into an endless suction force, forcibly pulling Protector Wu towards it.
"No, this is impossible—!"
Protector Wu roared, howled, and struggled, trying to escape the soul suppressing banner's pull.
But all his struggles were futile. No matter how much he struggled, the final outcome was to be absorbed into the soul suppressing banner.
Protector Wu, done!
"How dare you have designs on our Xiao Family? You're simply courting death." Xiao Li snorted, put away the soul suppressing banner, and then flew back to the Yunlan Sect... Meanwhile, in the forbidden area behind the Yunlan Sect mountain.
Inside the bamboo forest, Yun Yun came before Yun Shan.
"Teacher, you called for me?"
"Yun'er, you're here." Yun Shan smiled gently, getting straight to the point.
"I heard Yun Leng say that a Pill Saint named Xiao Li, a Sixth-Grade Alchemist, recently appeared in the Jia Ma Imperial Capital. Is this true?"
Although Yun Shan was in seclusion, he was aware of outside matters.
"It is true."
"Then what do you think of this Xiao Li?" Yun Shan asked.
"A young genius, full of youthful vigor." Yun Yun's assessment was concise, and it was also her inner evaluation of Xiao Li.
To achieve the rank of a Sixth-Grade Alchemist at such a young age, wasn't he a genius?
Yun Shan nodded: "Such a talent, no matter which force he joins, will cause a huge impact. Therefore, we must also try our best to win him over. Even if we cannot make him join our Yunlan Sect, we cannot let him join other forces and become our opponent."
A person of this strength had too great an impact on the Jia Ma Empire.
One person alone was enough to change the status of a force!
Yun Yun nodded: "Disciple knows what to do."
If Yun Shan knew that his most favored disciple standing before him was already Xiao Li's woman, he would surely have an interesting reaction.
"There's one more thing. Yun'er, you're not young anymore. Although we cultivators can live for a very long time, you must also consider yourself and the sect."
"Gu He has always liked you; you should know this. Gu He's existence is also very important for our Yunlan Sect to have its current status."
"So, I, your teacher, want to bring you and Gu He together."
Yun Shan's words made Yun Yun's delicate body tremble. She looked up at him in surprise, remaining silent for a long time.
"What, you're unwilling?" Yun Shan noticed her unusual reaction.
"Teacher, to be honest, this disciple already has someone she likes in her heart." Yun Yun bit her thin lip, whispering.
"That person isn't Gu He?"
"No."
"Then who is it?"
"It is... Xiao Li."
...