The Hall of Souls was in an uproar. Its Tiangang Human Hall had been utterly destroyed. Everyone within—save for the First Tianzun—had perished. Even the Second Tianzun, along with the many Venerables and Protectors, had all been slain.
Worse yet, the Soul Essence accumulated over decades had been plundered entirely, and tens of thousands of imprisoned souls were freed. One could only imagine the fury that followed.
Under such circumstances, how could they possibly let Xiao Yan roam free? Yet on that day, Xiao Yan had been rescued by a Gu Clan Dou Saint, and the Great Tianzun had already reported the matter to the higher-ups.
Soon after, the Hall of Souls dispatched envoys to the Eastern Region, demanding that the Gu Clan hand over the culprit responsible for the Human Hall's destruction. If no explanation was given, they swore they would not let the matter rest.
However, Xiao Yan had long since been left behind by the Gu Clan Dou Saint. Even if he had been taken to the Gu Clan, there was no chance they would hand him over now.
On the surface, the Gu Clan and the Xiao Clan still maintained an alliance. Behind the scenes, there was also a certain young lady who couldn't quite separate personal feelings from political duty.
There was simply no way Xiao Yan would be surrendered.
When the Hall's envoys arrived, the Gu Clan directly expelled them, leaving behind only one sentence: "We will not hand him over. If you want him, then come and take him. If it's war you want—then war it is."
In other words, you want Xiao Yan? Find him yourself. Catch him yourself. Just don't let us see it.
If the Gu Clan saw, they would intervene. If they didn't… well, then it was as if nothing had happened.
It was shameless—and perfectly in character.
Their attitude toward Xiao Yan was now clear. Once he had obtained the Ancient Emperor Jade, his value to the Gu Clan had already ended.
The Hall of Souls and its backers, the Hun Clan, were both furious over the destruction of the Human Hall. Still, the Hun Clan had its own larger plans. With a cold sneer, they decided to let this matter pass—for now. When the time came, they would settle all debts with the Gu Clan in one stroke.
Once the Gu Clan's stance was confirmed, the Hall of Souls' master, the 5-Star Mid-Level Dou Saint Hun Miesheng, personally took action. Unlike most villains, he didn't bother with schemes—he intended to kill Xiao Yan and Yao Chen outright.
However, fate intervened. Under Xuan Kongzi's protection, Yao Chen and Xiao Yan had already taken refuge in the Pill Tower—narrowly avoiding catastrophe.
Infuriated, Hun Miesheng immediately changed direction toward Holy Pill City. But before he could arrive, a young boy riding a green ox blocked his path.
The two exchanged what might generously be called friendly greetings—in truth, they fought fiercely. Hun Miesheng was thoroughly beaten.
Bruised and humiliated, Hun Miesheng decided to give the Pill Tower a sliver of face.
He announced that the Hall of Souls would refrain from entering Holy Pill City. However, if Xiao Yan and Yao Chen ever stepped beyond its walls, the Pill Tower was forbidden to interfere—otherwise, it would be treated as open provocation.
The ox-riding youth agreed lightly, then vanished down the road, not even bothering to return to the city. He merely relayed Hun Miesheng's message back to the Pill Tower.
Having been obstructed three times now, Hun Miesheng was livid. But he had no choice—after all, the Pill Tower's ancestor was a 6-Star Dou Saint, someone he could not easily contend with.
Back at the Hall of Souls, Hun Miesheng immediately launched a counterattack to force Xiao Yan and Yao Chen out of hiding. With a single wave of his hand, he mobilized the Third and Fourth Heavenly Venerables, along with several Venerables and hundreds of Protectors, surrounding the Falling Star Pavilion in one sweeping operation.
A dense black mist engulfed the mountain range where the Pavilion stood, blotting out the sky and enclosing it completely. The Hall of Souls made no move to attack—nor to retreat.
They simply issued a chilling ultimatum.
"Xiao Yan! You had the courage to slaughter the Human Hall—don't you dare hide now! You have half a month to show yourself outside the Falling Star Pavilion, or we will raze it to the ground and leave no living soul!"
Within the Pavilion, fear spread like wildfire. Fortunately, Venerable Feng's presence gave the others some semblance of reassurance—though beneath his calm facade, even he was anxious beyond words.
He couldn't sense the exact number of enemies, but among them, several auras matched his own—and two were far stronger.
'We're doomed… The Hall of Souls' retaliation has come. Thankfully, Yao Chen and Xiao Yan are in the Pill Tower—perhaps they can survive this.'
'But the Pavilion… sigh… poor Falling Star Pavilion.'
"Teacher, what should we do?"
A pale-faced Mu Qingluan stepped forward, speaking for the terrified elders and disciples alike.
Even a single finger from the Hall of Souls was a weight the Pavilion couldn't bear. The entire sect trembled in dread.
"Wait," Venerable Feng said softly.
He looked toward the sky, hands clasped behind his back, his green robe fluttering, his long hair drifting in the wind. Though fear gnawed at his heart, his expression remained calm as still water.
"Wait?" Mu Qingluan repeated, bewildered.
Indeed, what else could they do? Xiao Yan was only a 2-Star Dou Zun—hardly enough to challenge the Hall of Souls. Yet Venerable Feng could only place his trust in Xiao Yan and Yao Chen, believing they would find a way.
If not…
A faint smile crossed his face, calm and resolute. His poise eased the hearts of the disciples and elders behind him, lending them a flicker of courage.
'If they don't return, then I'll fight with my life—to buy time for others to escape. If even one survives, it'll be worth it.'
News of the Falling Star Pavilion's siege—and the Hall of Souls' ruthless ultimatum—spread swiftly throughout the Central Plains. The world now saw clearly: the Hall of Souls' bloody vengeance had begun.
The previous month of silence hadn't been peace—it had merely been the calm before the storm. In truth, they had already acted twice—once against the Gu Clan, once against the Pill Tower. Now, the monstrous shadow of the Hall of Souls had bared its fangs.
All eyes turned to Xiao Yan—the so-called "Nemesis of the Hall of Souls." Would he stand and fight? Or would he cower in hiding like a turtle in its shell?
The message reached the Central Region, the Pill Region, and finally Holy Pill City—straight into Xiao Yan's ears.
Bang!
"Hall of Souls—despicable cowards! If you've got the guts, come for me! Why go after the Falling Star Pavilion!"
Xiao Yan slammed his palm down. The wooden table beneath him exploded into shards, scattering across the floor.
The Hall of Souls: …
Yao Chen floated beside him, his illusory form flickering. His expression was cold, his eyes filled with fury and killing intent—yet beneath it all lay deep sorrow.
Without a body, without a means to restore their souls, returning to the Falling Star Pavilion would be nothing short of suicide.
Xiao Yan turned to Yao Chen, a spark of hope in his eyes. "Teacher, what should we do now?"
Yao Chen's faint figure hovered silently for a moment before sighing. "If I were still whole, I could use my old connections to summon aid. But in this state, no one would listen to me now."
Xiao Yan clenched his teeth, his eyes flickering with resolve. He recalled the rumors he had heard recently—that the newly appointed Pill Tower Giant, Liu Xi, possessed a rare treasure capable of restoring the soul.
He didn't want to face Liu Xi again. Every encounter between them had ended badly—and this one would likely be no exception.
But with things this dire, he had no choice.
"Teacher," he said firmly, "let's go find Liu Xi. The rumor says he has a soul-restoring treasure. No matter the cost—we must obtain it."
Yao Chen sighed softly. "So be it."
(End of Chapter)
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