Chapter 81: The Third Soul Emperor
"Reporting to Emperor Xiao Xuan, this matter is absolutely true!" Facing the mighty Xiao Xuan, the usual flamboyance of the Yin Yang Sacred Saint was completely absent. His soul form bowed respectfully as he answered.
"If this is true, your actions have rendered great service not only to the Xiao Clan but to the entire Dou Qi continent," Xiao Xuan said in a deep voice.
"To be able to provide useful information to you, Emperor Xiao Xuan, is the greatest honor of my life," replied the Yin Yang Sacred Saint, his thumb sized soul form bowing humbly.
Xiao Xuan glanced at him, and to the Sacred Saint's surprise, a faint smile appeared on the Emperor's face.
"No wonder you passed on your inheritance to that boy, Xiao Yan."
"Xiao Shaobei," Xiao Xuan continued, turning to the Xiao Clan's current leader, "take him to the Soul Nourishing Grounds to restore his soul. Once I confirm the authenticity of his information, I will find a way to reconstruct his body."
"Thank you, Emperor Xiao Xuan! Your greatness is eternal!" The Sacred Saint prostrated himself in Xiao Shaobei's palm, his voice full of reverence.
Xiao Xuan nodded slightly, his expression calm. Seeing this, Xiao Shaobei understood that the conversation was over. Without further ado, he disappeared from the hall with the Yin Yang Sacred Saint in hand.
As they traveled, the Yin Yang Sacred Saint curiously asked his old friend, Xiao Shaobei, "So, Xiao Xuan already knows about Xiao Yan?"
"Of course. Xiao Yan is an Emperor's Chosen, personally appointed by the clan's ancestor," Xiao Shaobei explained with a smile.
"Emperor's Chosen? Is that a big deal?"
"Big deal?" Xiao Shaobei chuckled. "The Xiao Clan has only ever had two other Emperor's Chosen. Both are now Nine Star Dou Saints, with status and authority equal to my own as Clan Leader."
"Hiss!" The Sacred Saint's expression froze with astonishment.
"I didn't expect that brat to hold such a high position in your clan."
"Being recognized by the ancestor suggests he has some extraordinary potential," Xiao Shaobei replied, his tone measured.
"Ha! That brat is technically half my disciple since he received my inheritance. If he becomes a Nine Star Dou Saint in the future, my network will be absolutely unmatched!"
The Sacred Saint cackled gleefully. "With one Nine Star Dou Saint as a friend and another as a disciple, who on the Dou Qi continent could challenge me?"
He paused, his expression turning mischievous. "When I recover my body, I'll make sure to visit the Medicine Clan and settle old scores. Maybe even..."
"Stop fantasizing. You don't even have a body yet," Xiao Shaobei interrupted with a sigh, shaking his head at his old friend's antics.
"Don't act all high and mighty! Back in the day, when you had that affair with the elder from the Flower Sect, who do you think stood guard for you?" the Sacred Saint shot back.
"Hehe," Xiao Shaobei chuckled sheepishly, a trace of nostalgia flickering in his eyes. The two friends laughed, recalling their wild younger days wreaking havoc across Central Plains.
But the laughter faded as Xiao Shaobei asked, "Speaking of the past, when you were cursed, why didn't you come to the Xiao Clan for help?"
The Sacred Saint's expression darkened. "Do you think I didn't try? The first thing I did after being cursed was come to the Xiao Clan. But when I arrived, the entire clan had vanished. The gates of the Xiao Realm were sealed tight."
"At that time, the clan was focused on helping our ancestor break through to the Dou Emperor realm," Xiao Shaobei explained. "Not long after, a war broke out with the Soul Clan. If our clan leader hadn't broken through in time and killed the Soul Heavenly Emperor, the Xiao Clan might have been wiped out."
"The Soul Clan?" The Sacred Saint's brow furrowed. "The most mysterious of the ancient clans?"
"Yes." Xiao Shaobei nodded solemnly.
"I remember... didn't you have a fling with one of their priestesses?"
"That's ancient history," Xiao Shaobei said with a sigh. "The Soul Clan was annihilated in that war. They are no longer a threat."
"The Soul Clan... gone?" The Sacred Saint was momentarily stunned. The once dreaded clan, a menace even to other ancient lineages, had been erased from existence.
He sighed, but a sudden memory surfaced, sending a shiver through his soul.
"Wait!" he exclaimed. "Shaobei, I remember now! In that ancient tomb where the Dou Emperor's corpse was buried, the inscriptions on the walls they were written in the Soul Clan's language!"
Xiao Shaobei's pupils contracted slightly at the revelation.
Far to the southwest, where towering mountain ranges stretched endlessly, lay the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, shrouded in mist and mystery.
Deep within these untamed lands stood Heaven's Burial Mountain, a towering peak steeped in legend. It was said that a peerless expert had been buried there and that none who ventured into its depths ever returned.
Until today.
A lone figure clad in azure robes hovered above the mountain's summit. His aura was boundless, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"So, this is the place," Xiao Xuan murmured, his imperial soul scanning the vast mountain. In an instant, every crevice and shadow within was laid bare to his senses.
"Indeed, something is amiss here." With a single step, Xiao Xuan descended into the heart of the mountain.
The massive peak was hollowed out, its cavernous interior dominated by eight colossal chains, each as thick as an ancient tree trunk. The chains were etched with incomprehensibly complex runes, so intricate that even Xiao Xuan paused to study them.
At the end of the chains lay a towering corpse, its body covered in crimson fur. Its pitch black eyes resembled endless abysses, and the mere act of looking into them made Xiao Xuan's own hair stand on end.
"What kind of power could kill a Dou Emperor in such a gruesome way?" Xiao Xuan muttered, his millennium long calm rattled for the first time.
The ancient corpse exuded a faint aura of dread that seemed capable of corrupting even the strongest wills. Xiao Xuan's vast life force surged, dispelling the influence effortlessly.
His gaze shifted to an ancient stone tablet beside the corpse. The inscription carved into it made his expression darken.
The writing was in the Soul Clan's language.
As Xiao Xuan deciphered the text, his typically calm demeanor gave way to a rare hint of unease.
"This corpse... belongs to the Third Soul Emperor!"
Back in Holy Pill City, Xiao Yan stood before two radiant figures: Cao Ying and Dan Chen.
"I'm leaving now. Take care of yourselves," he said softly.
The two girls nodded, their emotions visible in their reddened eyes.
"No fighting between you two. Cao Ying, you're the elder sister look after Dan Chen," Xiao Yan teased with a smile.
"Understood." Cao Ying pulled Dan Chen into an affectionate hug.
Satisfied, Xiao Yan planted a kiss on both their foreheads before turning to the group behind him.
Gathered there were Yao Lao, the three Pill Tower leaders, numerous elders, and his fellow disciples from the elite class.
At last, the two Half Saints, Wen and Wu, opened a shimmering space portal.
"Take care, everyone!" Xiao Yan said, clasping his fists in farewell.
With that, he stepped into the portal, leaving Holy Pill City behind.
(Chapter End)
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