Word Count: 3,331 Words
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"Urgh..."
Pain twisted Feng Qing Er's face. A large hand clamped tightly around her neck while a black chain bound her hands, suspending her in midair and leaving her completely immobilized. More terrifying still, an extraordinarily powerful Spiritual Strength suppressed her cultivation, preventing her from circulating even a trace of Dou Qi.
In a single instant, this proud daughter of heaven, this noble phoenix, had been reduced to a lamb awaiting slaughter. At this moment, Xiao Yan seemed like the most terrifying existence in the world, capable of reducing her to ashes at any whim.
"Jie Jie Jie, I've got you."
Feng Qing Er struggled to open her eyes. She wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but behind Xiao Yan appeared an Asura-like demonic shadow, its entire form shrouded in darkness. Most frightening were Xiao Yan's jet-black pearl eyes, which seemed to devour the entire world.
Being stared at by those eyes made Feng Qing Er's heart tremble uncontrollably, as if everything in the world had become insignificant! Heaven and earth are merciless, treating all things as straw dogs! To her ears, Xiao Yan's laughter sounded like a demon's cackle.
Yet Xiao Yan flashed a sunny smile and said, "Feng Qing Er, I don't blame you for seeking to reclaim the Three Thousand Lightning Movement for the Wind Lightning Pavilion. That's a matter between sects, perfectly understandable. Nor do I blame you for trying to retrieve your tribe member's corpse. If my clan member's remains were scattered abroad, I would want them back too."
His tone shifted abruptly as he continued, "But when you threatened my Yan Alliance with your Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe, threatening my family and loved ones, you crossed my bottom line."
Crack!
Xiao Yan slowly exerted force with his five fingers. His sharp nails pierced Feng Qing Er's flesh, drawing blood. It was hard to imagine that the robust body of a Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe genius could be so easily punctured. Xiao Yan's strength was truly terrifying.
"Ugh... Xiao Yan... if you kill me... the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe won't let you off... I am a genius of the tribe..." Feng Qing Er managed to force words through her constricted throat. Even now, her pride remained intact, her confidence in her tribe's status unshaken.
"Even if... you are a Pill Tower alchemist... killing an innocent member of my Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe... the Pill Tower won't protect you... you'll still face retribution."
Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned by her words. He hadn't expected Feng Qing Er to still place such faith in her tribe. After a moment's reflection, he understood.
It was precisely because she had reached this desperate point, with the Wind Lightning Pavilion unable to be relied upon, that the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe was her only lifeline, one she would naturally cling to desperately.
Acting as if genuinely hesitant, Xiao Yan slowly loosened his grip.
"Cough, cough, cough." The moment Xiao Yan released her, Feng Qing Er gasped desperately for air.
Suddenly, a wave of heat brushed against her as Xiao Yan moved his body almost flush against hers. His large hand gently caressed her delicate face as he smiled, "How could I bear to kill you?"
"Your Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe is a treasure trove, after all."
Feng Qing Er's somewhat recovered complexion instantly turned deathly pale. She, of course, understood that Xiao Yan wasn't lusting after her beauty; he intended to use her for alchemy!
"You! Using living beings for alchemy is a demonic path! The Pill Tower would never permit such an alchemist to exist!!" Feng Qing Er shrieked. She tried to struggle free, but the Soul Chain was incredibly sturdy. Her strength was useless against a chain forged by Soul State Spiritual Strength.
"Pill Tower?" Xiao Yan glanced at the struggling Feng Qing Er with a puzzled look, then smiled. "That was a lie. I'm not an alchemist of the Pill Tower."
Feng Qing Er froze completely. She couldn't understand why Xiao Yan would reveal this. Wasn't he seeking his own death?
The next moment, a black token slowly appeared before Feng Qing Er's widened eyes. On its face was carved a large character: "炎" (Yan)!
Buzz!
An endless black fog surged out from the Soul Command Token. The black fog instantly enveloped Xiao Yan and Feng Qing Er, forming a unique Soul Space Lock!
Xiao Yan retracted his Bone Wings and retrieved a pitch-black robe from within the Soul Command Token, slowly donning it and pulling up the hood. Black Nihility Devouring Flame ignited, flickering coldly around him.
Sinister!
At this moment, Xiao Yan embodied pure malevolence. A black Soul Command Token, black flame, black Soul Robe, and a black Soul Space Lock!
"I'm not an alchemist of the Pill Tower. I am an Honorable Elder of the Hall of Souls. You may gently address me as Venerable Yan," Xiao Yan said, his voice emerging from beneath the hood.
"Hall of Souls!!" Feng Qing Er's face changed dramatically. It was actually the Hall of Souls! Why did it have to be the Hall of Souls!!
Clang!
A black Soul Chain shot from the token, piercing straight through Feng Qing Er's neck and locking onto her soul. A violent pulling force suddenly appeared, as if attempting to forcibly drag her soul from her physical body.
Xiao Yan slowly approached Feng Qing Er, who was struggling desperately to resist. He extended a finger to lift her chin gently and smiled, "Jie Jie Jie, indeed, the Pill Tower forbids alchemists from using living beings to refine pills, but the Hall of Souls does not."
"Do you see those soul bodies in the black fog? They all belonged to people who offended me or attacked me. My Bone Wings happen to lack a Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe soul. Your cultivation is mediocre, merely a 1-star Dou Ancestor, but you'll suffice."
!!!!?
When she heard that Xiao Yan intended to use her soul to refine his Bone Wings, Feng Qing Er's face filled with incomparable terror!
Xiao Yan had still underestimated the Hall of Souls' reputation. Outside the Central Plains, perhaps the Hall of Souls wasn't so infamous, but within the Central Plains, especially closer to the central region, the very mention of the Hall of Souls was enough to make babies stop crying.
Back when Hun Huzi had conspired with the Hun Clan to plot against the Pill Tower's Tower Master, incurring the wrath of every Pill Tower alchemist, the Pill Tower had called for an attack on all Hall of Souls branches throughout the Central Plains.
With the Pill Tower alchemists' formidable ability to rally support, they should have united all Central Plains alchemists and countless powerful experts and factions. Yet in the end, the matter simply faded away.
Hun Huzi still lived freely, the Heaven, Earth, and Man Halls of the Hall of Souls continued to exist, and the Twenty-Four Disha Halls remained scattered throughout the Central Plains.
Alchemists indeed possessed unparalleled influence, but the Hall of Souls commanded terrifying deterrent power! During that conflict, not a single power among the Central Plains' Two Sects, Three Valleys, or Four Pavilions answered the Pill Tower's call!
Because none wished to face the Hall of Souls!
"I'm rather curious. Your Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe is quite tyrannical, isn't it? Demanding to reclaim your fallen tribe members' remains wherever they may be. If they fall into the Hall of Souls' possession, would you still dare to retrieve them?"
Xiao Yan seemed to be toying with a newly acquired plaything. His large hand gently kneaded Feng Qing Er's cheek, lightly pinching her soft lips, examining her for flaws as if inspecting merchandise.
By now, Feng Qing Er was so terrified by the words 'Hall of Souls' that her soul nearly fled her body. Her mind went blank, her eyes vacant.
A Hall of Souls alchemist! He was actually a Hall of Souls alchemist! And an 8th-tier one at that!
Never mind that she, Feng Qing Er, was merely a younger generation member who barely made it into the top ten of her tribe. Even if it were the number one genius, falling into the hands of the Hall of Souls meant they could only resign themselves to their fate!
"Jie Jie Jie. Such vigorous blood. You're still in your prime. It would be a pity to kill you. I happen to have a pill recipe requiring magical beast essence blood and flesh. How long do you think you'd last if I harvested your essence blood daily?"
Feng Qing Er shuddered at his words.
"Forget it, forget it. The essence blood of a 1-star Dou Ancestor Heaven Demon Phoenix isn't much anyway. Maybe it's better to strip you bare, bind you with chains, and keep you in a birdcage for display. After all, birds should stay in birdcages, shouldn't they?"
Feng Qing Er was horrified. In that moment, she felt as if she could see her future unfolding, a future of nothing but despair!
This was an Honorable Elder of the Hall of Souls!
Hall of Souls!
Suddenly, a clear teardrop slid from her beautiful eyes and fell onto Xiao Yan's palm. With her will completely shattered, Feng Qing Er lost all her former nobility. She resembled a helpless, pitiful young maiden.
"No... don't use me for alchemy... please don't."
An ordinary person witnessing such a pitiful scene might have softened their heart. But who was he?
Hall of Souls, Xiao Yan!
Xiao Yan's heart had long been filled by Xun Er. Even faced with the alluring beauty of Feng Qing Er, no ripple stirred within him.
The corners of his mouth curved into a slight smile, a trace of delight flickering in his eyes. If he had truly intended to kill Feng Qing Er, he would never have allowed her to escape; he would have killed her back at the Wind Lightning Pavilion.
He had deliberately let her get far away from the Wind Lightning Pavilion.
"Swallow this medicinal pill, then use your Dou Qi to refine it." Xiao Yan produced a black pill and spoke in a gentle tone.
!!!
Feng Qing Er's body trembled as she stared at Xiao Yan in terror. Xiao Yan was not only an 8th-tier alchemist but a Hall of Souls alchemist! His methods were absolutely beyond an ordinary person's comprehension!
"Three."
!!
"Two."
Feng Qing Er naturally understood the meaning behind Xiao Yan's countdown. Her lips quivered uncontrollably as her red lips parted slightly.
Xiao Yan smiled, his movements exceedingly gentle as he placed the black pill into Feng Qing Er's mouth. With a slight push of his finger, he sent the pill straight down her throat.
Gulp. Feng Qing Er's throat bobbed as she swallowed the pill. Xiao Yan slowly withdrew his finger, a thread of transparent saliva clinging to its tip.
"Good girl."
Feng Qing Er didn't dare refine the pill at all!
"One."
"Don't count! I... I'll refine it." Feng Qing Er's voice was tinged with sobs. In this moment, she was filled with overwhelming regret. If she hadn't targeted Xiao Yan, if she had simply ignored the Wind Lightning Pavilion's affairs, none of this would have happened!
Although this world had medicinal pills of all kinds, even a Dou God alchemist couldn't refine a Pill of Regret.
Feng Qing Er circulated her Dou Qi. The moment she began refining the pill, a booming sound erupted as strands of pitch-black soul mist surged forth. These special black mists entwined with her Dou Qi, and followed it, merging into her soul.
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed. Under Feng Qing Er's astonished gaze, he pointed a finger and pressed it against her forehead.
Buzz!
From the abyss beneath Xiao Yan's feet, countless black chains suddenly shot upward. Following the pill's guidance, these chains pierced straight into Feng Qing Er's soul.
"Asura Slave Seal."
With a rattling clamor, countless chains rushed into Feng Qing Er's body, instantly binding her soul and transforming into black patterns.
"Ahhh!!" Feng Qing Er screamed in agony.
Soon, all the chains had pierced into her soul body. Xiao Yan then withdrew his finger. Three black petal-like patterns appeared briefly on Feng Qing Er's forehead before quickly fading away.
Xiao Yan hadn't learned this from Hun Huzi, but from Qing Lin!
Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils could invade the souls of snake creatures, control their minds, and transform them into snake slaves drawn into the space within her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. It was an exceptionally tyrannical and terrifying ability.
Naturally, Xiao Yan had always found this technique fascinating. Unfortunately, he lacked the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.
However, after extensive research, Xiao Yan had combined his alchemy skills with the Soul Chase component of his Asura Soul Reaping Technique to develop a new move by mimicking the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils!
Clang!
The chains suspending Feng Qing Er's hands vanished. She collapsed onto the black fog with a thud, completely unaware of what Xiao Yan had done to her. At this moment, her heart contained nothing but fear.
Xiao Yan slowly crouched down, lifted her chin, and said softly, "If you harbor any malice toward me, your soul will suffer the agony of ten thousand swords piercing through it. And should you dare act against me... I doubt you want to know the consequences."
At this moment, Feng Qing Er's mind was utterly blank. Only profound regret and terror remained. Why had she encountered this man!
"Now, you can tell me about some things I'm curious about. For instance, why did the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe suddenly vanish? Did any fugitives escape from their territory? I'm very interested in the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe."
This was Xiao Yan's true objective! The moment he learned Feng Qing Er was from the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe, he had wanted to extract information about the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe.
If anyone knew the most about the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe, it would certainly be their rivals, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe. Only fellow Beast Realm inhabitants like the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe would have the clearest intelligence on the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's situation.
It wasn't that Xiao Yan was being overly cautious; this was the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe! If the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe was already so formidable, with several Dou Saints among their ranks, how much more terrifying would the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe be?
What if Zi Yan was a fugitive being hunted by the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe? Wouldn't taking her to the Beast Realm be equivalent to courting death?!
Not long ago, Zi Yan had told him she could faintly sense the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's location. It was like how birds instinctively know where their nests were.
Xiao Yan knew that sooner or later, he would need to visit the Beast Realm and the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe's territory. He had to be exceedingly cautious.
How convenient that Feng Qing Er had delivered herself right into his hands.
Before long, the black fog receded. Xiao Yan withdrew his Soul Robe and Soul Command Token. Sunlight streamed in, and Xiao Yan appeared as he always had. That terrifying scene seemed almost like a dream.
Xiao Yan's brow furrowed deeply, his heart growing heavy. 'The Ancient Void Dragon Tribe actually split up... No wonder they vanished. They've been engaged in a civil war!'
'They've split into four dragon islands: Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern. There are also some Ancient Void Dragons who refused to participate in the civil war and left to wander... In that case, Zi Yan might have been born to one of those wandering Ancient Void Dragons.'
'But what about her parents? Could they have left her in the wilderness to protect her from the war, only to perish in the fighting themselves?'
'As long as she isn't a fugitive, that's manageable. But with the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe embroiled in civil war, is bringing Zi Yan back truly wise?'
Xiao Yan couldn't help but sigh. Why start a civil war when everything was fine?
If he brought Zi Yan back now, wouldn't that be stepping right into the chaos?
'Surely it would be acceptable to visit briefly and inquire about her parents. They wouldn't force a young girl like Zi Yan to join the army, would they?' Xiao Yan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. With Zi Yan's current combat strength, she would only be a burden in warfare.
While Xiao Yan pondered these matters, Feng Qing Er gripped her sleeves tightly. She desperately wanted to flee from this demon but didn't dare. Before a Hall of Souls Venerable, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe's pride meant absolutely nothing!
Especially since he was an 8th-tier Hall of Souls alchemist! And she had fallen victim to a Hall of Souls technique!
In the Central Plains, the Hall of Souls was every cultivator's nightmare. Everyone loathed the Hall of Souls Venerables, yet everyone feared them.
Throughout the Central Plains, many Hall of Souls Venerables carried soul jade pieces. If defeated, they could instantly summon reinforcements. The Nine Tianzuns were each so powerful they could single-handedly destroy entire major factions.
The Hall of Souls Chief's strength remained unfathomable. Rumors claimed the Hall of Souls Chief slaughtered people as easily as mowing grass; no living person had ever seen him!
This Xiao Yan was an 8th-tier alchemist; his status within the Hall of Souls must be exceptionally high.
While Feng Qing Er was still at a loss, Xiao Yan suddenly seized her throat again, Heavenly Flame surging in his palm.
"Venerable Lei, you can try and see whether I kill her faster, or you can intervene faster."
Xiao Yan's penetrating gaze locked onto a distant point in space. The next instant, lightning flickered in that spot as the sizzling sound of a spatial passage echoed forth.
Venerable Lei's face darkened, his eyes fixed on Xiao Yan. He was now one hundred percent certain: Xiao Yan was indeed an 8th-tier alchemist!
He hadn't even arrived yet Xiao Yan had already detected him. He didn't even get a chance to act! The Soul State Spiritual Strength of an 8th-tier alchemist was truly terrifying.
However, seeing that Feng Qing Er still lived meant the worst-case scenario had been avoided.
Before Venerable Lei could even speak, the space beside Xiao Yan twisted, and the youthful-looking Venerable Tian Huo stepped out from a spatial passage.
"Elder Yao, don't tell me you couldn't even handle that guy," Xiao Yan said with exasperation.
What the hell? How did you let this old fellow escape!
"That fellow's Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body truly does have its merits when it comes to escape," Venerable Tian Huo replied helplessly.
In terms of raw strength, Venerable Lei was certainly no match for Venerable Tian Huo. However, Venerable Lei had mastered the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body and could create clones with nearly identical strength to his true body.
Although Venerable Tian Huo had destroyed one clone directly with the Five Ring Flame Expelling Technique, Venerable Lei himself had managed to escape!
When it came to running away, this Venerable Lei truly had some skill.
Even though the Yan Alliance had smashed his Wind Lightning Pavilion to pieces, and even though the Western Pavilion Master had been injured by Venerable Tian Huo, Venerable Lei could only force a smile when he saw Feng Qing Er in Xiao Yan's grasp. He said, "Hehe, Grandmaster Yan, Venerable Tian Huo, my Wind Lightning Pavilion has absolutely no intention of being enemies with the Yan Alliance. We have offended you in many ways, and I apologize for that."
Watching Venerable Lei back down, Xiao Yan's eyes gleamed. It seemed he could extort some more?!
"Don't bother apologizing to me. Let's talk money instead," Xiao Yan said with casual indifference.
Venerable Yan needed no apologies—only compensation.
The strong command respect, and business comes first. Venerable Yan focused solely on business!
Don't talk about feelings—talk about money!