Chapter 198: Soul Hall Elder: The Advantage Is Mine!
Yuan Yi Empire, Misty Thorn Swamp!
A purple silhouette sauntered through the sky with an air of arrogance, accompanied by four Soul Hall Protectors cloaked in dark mist. They didn't even bother hiding their presence, cutting directly through the sky in broad daylight.
Oddly enough, no one noticed them, let alone stopped or questioned their presence. Upon closer inspection, the space above them was slightly distorted, like the wavering air over a desert under a scorching sun, making everything blurry and hard to discern.
Thanks to this phenomenon, the Soul Hall Elder in purple robes could parade openly without being seen.
Of course, anyone who should notice them already had, and those who shouldn't? Well, if they somehow did, it wouldn't matter. Gathering a few extra souls was never a bad thing for the Soul Hall.
The only downside was that the souls from the Northwest Continent reeked of mediocrity. Even the quality of their spirits carried a wretched stench.
Swish!
The purple robed elder tore through the dense mist blanketing Misty Thorn Swamp, descending straight into the Soul Hall division located there.
"Qin Tian!" A thunderous roar echoed through the hall. "How dare you show such insolence!"
The Soul Hall Elder on duty, named Xiu Tu, erupted in fury. With a furious wave of his broad sleeves, a surge of black mist burst forth, morphing into a ferocious black dragon that shot out like lightning.
The black dragon roared at the sky, its aura shattering layers of space. The sheer killing intent suffocated the entire division, leaving the Protectors trembling in terror as they fled deep into the hall to hide.
"And you think such tricks are worthy of showing off in front of me?" Qin Tian sneered coldly, his desiccated hand slowly lifting from within his sleeve. With a faint flash of silver light, he clenched his hand toward the black mist dragon.
The dragon froze midair, trembling violently before becoming completely immobilized.
Qin Tian chuckled mockingly and flicked his finger, sending a silent shockwave shooting toward the dragon.
Boom!
The space around the black dragon cracked like shattered glass, scattering into countless fragments. The dragon itself disintegrated along with the black mist that formed it.
"You… You've reached the three star Dou Zun stage?" Xiu Tu's eyes widened in shock.
"Heh, as sharp eyed as ever, I see," Qin Tian replied with a sinister laugh. "But alas, it seems your time spent in this backwater has dulled your edge. You're still stuck at two star Dou Zun after all these years."
Cackle. "You're falling behind, Xiu Tu. You'll never catch up to me now!"
"Hmph! Spare me your nonsense!" Xiu Tu cackled back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Sure, you've spent your days basking in the boundless resources and spiritual energy of the Central Plains. It's no wonder you've taken the lead it's not exactly impressive. Put a pig in your place, and it would outpace you too. What's there to gloat about?"
"You insolent !" Qin Tian's fury erupted. His eyes darkened as black mist surged from his body. With a deafening boom, his Dou Zun aura surged into a towering pillar, shaking the entire Misty Thorn Swamp. The terrifying might of a Dou Zun was palpable.
"Hmph!" Xiu Tu snorted coldly. "Qin Tian, have you forgotten whose territory this is?"
Boom!
Xiu Tu stomped the ground, releasing a wave of black light that spread across the entire Soul Hall division.
Clang!
The sound of chains clashing echoed through the hall as massive black chains, each tens of meters thick, slowly emerged from the shadows, swaying ominously like venomous serpents searching for prey.
The four Soul Hall Protectors behind Qin Tian trembled uncontrollably, their very souls quaking. They knew this all too well this was the division's protective array!
Unlike typical defensive formations, the Soul Hall's arrays were designed for offense, crafted to annihilate any intruders. Once activated, it wasn't uncommon for even a Tian Zun level expert to struggle against it.
Qin Tian's expression darkened. Although activating the array came at a steep cost, its existence put him at a significant disadvantage. If this turned into a fight, he would fall long before Xiu Tu suffered any real damage.
"Xiu Tu, hear me well!" Qin Tian bellowed, his hair and robes billowing despite the lack of wind. "I don't care what happens in this division, but when it comes to the operation to capture Yao Chen, you and your division must obey me unconditionally!"
Though he was cornered, Qin Tian refused to lose face. His strategy was clear: intimidate now, negotiate later.
"Fine, fine! I'll obey!" Xiu Tu growled, his bulging eyes glaring defiantly.
With that, the array began to dissipate. The swaying black chains retracted into the shadows, their ominous presence fading from the hall.
"…" Qin Tian's expression stiffened. If Xiu Tu was this cooperative, had he wasted his energy unnecessarily?
Xiu Tu snorted disdainfully. What other choice did he have? Outside the division, Qin Tian held the upper hand. Resisting would only lead to humiliation.
"Now, share all the intelligence you've gathered. I need every detail on Yao Chen," Qin Tian commanded.
"The Black Corner Region was his last known location. He's believed to be hiding in Jia Nan Academy," Xiu Tu summarized curtly.
"You should be more worried about the Black Nightmare Army," Xiu Tu added indifferently. "Gu Clan's Lin Hao is already in the Black Corner Region. Your three star Dou Zun strength won't be enough to deal with him."
"What?" Qin Tian's expression shifted, growing heavy with unease.
…
The Black Corner Region, Jia Nan Academy's Eastern Forest.
Lu Bu, Xiao Yan, Su Qian, and Elder Huo stood with somber faces, their eyes fixed on the distorted, turbulent space in the distance. The terrifying energy fluctuations emanating from within left them feeling deeply unsettled.
The residual energy of a Dou Zun level battle alone could easily obliterate them.
"What do you think? How many rounds can Elder Bai hold out against Elder Lin?" Elder Huo murmured, breaking the silence.
"Who knows?" Xiao Yan shrugged. "We don't even know Elder Lin's strength."
"Let's just keep watching," Lu Bu said calmly. Based on the story, Lin Hao's strength was likely at the three or four star Dou Zun level, though it was hard to be certain since the original plot didn't specify.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted before Lu Bu could finish speaking. Shards of fractured space shot outward like a deadly rain of arrows.
Su Qian's expression changed. Raising his hands, he rapidly formed seals, and a solid barrier of silver light appeared in front of them.
Clink! Clink!
The barrier was instantly peppered with countless fragments, large and small.
Seeing this, Lu Bu retracted his Earth Demon Puppet, while Xiao Yan and Elder Huo also withdrew their defenses, focusing their attention back on the battlefield.
"Hahaha… Not bad, Bai Lie! Just entering Dou Zun and you can already control your strength so adeptly," Elder Lin said, hovering in the air with a hearty laugh. "You fight nothing like someone who's just broken through."
"Thank you for the praise, Senior," Elder Bai responded, clasping his hands respectfully. To have a Dou Zun level sparring partner during his breakthrough was a rare opportunity indeed.
Still, Elder Lin's compliment seemed a bit odd. Controlling one's strength should be a given, especially after centuries at the Dou Zong peak. Why such high praise?
Elder Bai frowned briefly before understanding dawned on him.
"Hahaha… Forgive me," Elder Lin said with a laugh. "I've grown used to sparring with those young brats in the Gu Clan. Those kids go from Dou Zong to Dou Zun in just a few years they're far less disciplined than you."
Elder Bai's mouth twitched. He didn't know how to respond. It had taken him centuries to reach Dou Zun, his progress painstakingly slow and methodical. Comparatively, those "young brats" were like meteors blazing through the sky.
In the Yuan Yi Empire's Misty Thorn Swamp, a figure cloaked in purple robes strolled leisurely through the sky, followed closely by four Soul Hall Protectors cloaked in dark mist. Despite their brazen display, they moved completely unnoticed, thanks to the subtle distortion of space surrounding them. The air shimmered, like heat waves over a desert, blurring them from view.
The Soul Hall elder leading them was none other than Qin Tian. Though they walked so boldly, it was less about arrogance and more about strategy. Those meant to notice them already had, while those who shouldn't? If they did, well… a few more souls wouldn't hurt the Soul Hall's collections.
The only downside was the poor quality of spirits on this backwater continent. The souls here carried a stench of mediocrity, making even death unappealing.
Swish!
Tearing through the swamp's dense fog, Qin Tian arrived at the Soul Hall division nestled within.
"Qin Tian!" A thunderous roar erupted as soon as he entered. "How dare you act so recklessly here!"
Xiu Tu, the Soul Hall elder stationed at this division, exploded with anger. With a dramatic wave of his sleeves, a surge of black mist shot out, transforming into a ferocious black dragon that charged at Qin Tian with a deafening roar.
The dragon's aura fractured the surrounding space, its terrifying killing intent silencing everyone in the division. Even the typically haughty Protectors scrambled to hide deep within the hall, trembling.
"And you think such tricks can scare me?" Qin Tian sneered, his skeletal hand rising lazily. A faint silver light flickered at his fingertips as he clenched his fist, freezing the dragon mid air.
With a casual flick of his finger, an invisible force pierced the frozen black mist.
Boom!
The dragon shattered into countless fragments, the black mist dissipating like dust in the wind.
"You've reached the three star Dou Zun stage?" Xiu Tu's expression twisted in shock.
"Heh, still as sharp as ever, Xiu Tu," Qin Tian replied with a sinister grin. "But alas, your time in this desolate swamp has dulled your edge. You're still stuck at two star Dou Zun."
Chuckling darkly, Qin Tian added, "You're falling behind, Xiu Tu. You'll never catch up now!"
"Hah! Spare me your arrogance!" Xiu Tu retorted with a sneer. "You've had the resources of the Central Plains to bolster your cultivation. Even a pig in your position would've surpassed me long ago. What's there to gloat about?"
"You !" Qin Tian's aura flared in anger, his dark mist surging into a towering pillar of Dou Qi, shaking the swamp and its surroundings.
"Hmph!" Xiu Tu remained unbothered. "Qin Tian, have you forgotten whose territory you're in?"
Boom!
With a stomp, a ring of black energy burst from Xiu Tu's feet, spreading across the entire division.
Clang!
Massive black chains, each tens of meters thick, emerged from the shadows, swaying menacingly. Their clinking echoed ominously through the hall, like venomous snakes ready to strike.
The four Protectors behind Qin Tian froze, their very souls trembling at the sight of the Soul Hall's defense array. Unlike conventional formations designed for protection, Soul Hall's arrays were weapons of annihilation.
Qin Tian's expression darkened. While activating the array would cost Xiu Tu greatly, Qin Tian would undoubtedly be the first to fall if things escalated.
"Xiu Tu, mark my words! I don't care what happens in this division, but when it comes to capturing Yao Chen, you and your forces will obey my orders unconditionally!" Qin Tian barked, unwilling to lose face.
"Fine! I'll obey!" Xiu Tu snapped, his wide eyes glaring defiantly.
With that, the black chains receded into the shadows, their threatening presence dissipating.
"…If he was going to cooperate so easily, why did I waste so much effort?" Qin Tian muttered under his breath, his face twitching in frustration.
Xiu Tu, however, smirked. Outside the division, Qin Tian would hold the advantage. Resisting here would only bring unnecessary humiliation.
"Now, tell me everything you've gathered on Yao Chen. I need every detail," Qin Tian demanded.
"The Black Corner Region is the last place he was seen. He's believed to be hiding in Jia Nan Academy," Xiu Tu reported succinctly.
"You should focus more on the Black Nightmare Army," Xiu Tu added. "Gu Clan's Lin Hao is already in the Black Corner Region. Your three star Dou Zun strength won't be enough to deal with him."
"What?" Qin Tian's expression darkened further, his unease growing.
…
Eastern Forest of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Region
Lu Bu, Xiao Yan, Su Qian, and Elder Huo stood together, their faces tense as they stared at the turbulent, distorted space in the distance. The sheer power emanating from within was suffocating, the residual energy alone capable of obliterating them.
"How many rounds do you think Elder Bai can hold out against Lin Hao?" Elder Huo muttered after a moment of silence.
"Who knows?" Xiao Yan shrugged. "We don't even know Lin Hao's exact strength."
"Let's just keep watching," Lu Bu said calmly. Based on the story, Lin Hao was likely a three or four star Dou Zun, though the specifics were unclear.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion cut through the tension, fragments of shattered space flying outward like a deadly storm.
Su Qian quickly raised his hands, forming seals to create a protective barrier of silver light.
Clink! Clink!
The barrier was instantly peppered with spatial fragments, their sharp edges embedding into the surface.
"Not bad," Lin Hao's voice rang out. "Elder Bai, for someone who just entered Dou Zun, your control is impressive. You fight like a seasoned warrior."
"Thank you for the praise, Senior," Elder Bai replied respectfully. To have a sparring partner of Lin Hao's caliber was a rare blessing, even if the situation was dire.
Still, Lin Hao's compliment felt odd. Elder Bai had spent centuries honing his skills at the Dou Zong peak, so such control was to be expected. Was Lin Hao mocking him?
"Ah, forgive me," Lin Hao laughed. "I'm used to dealing with those young brats in the Gu Clan. They go from Dou Zong to Dou Zun in a few years, but their lack of discipline always leaves me frustrated."
Elder Bai's mouth twitched. He couldn't decide whether to feel insulted or amused. After all, it had taken him centuries to reach Dou Zun a journey painstakingly slow and deliberate. Meanwhile, these "young brats" seemed to sprint through their cultivation like it was a race.
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