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  Xiao Yan was utterly speechless. He had just beeing quietly withie of Life ah, fortably enjoying the care and affe left behind by his aor.

  After refining the Ten Thousa Fme and the Green Lotus Core Fme, he had always believed that refining a Heavenly Fme ainful and grueling ordeal. Only now did he realize how blissful it was to be the desdant of a Dou God . Refining the Yin-Yang Twin Fme had felt like soaking in a hot spring, lulling him into a peaceful sleep.

  Who would have expected a sudden tremor to wake him up? As he stepped out to take a look, good heavens! Protector Wu had turned against his own kin! He had sughtered Yun Shan!

  To be ho, Xiao Yan didn't have any deep grudges against the Misty Cloud Sect. Moreover, he had a special, ambiguous retionship with Yun Yun. Seeing the Misty Cloud Sect like this didn't make him happy at all.

  "Jie Jie Jie, this Venerable doesn't o know whose ia is. This Venerable only o know that back then, when Yun Po Tian acquired only a small fra of the legacy, he rose to bee a Dou Venerable, famous throughout the Dou Qi ti for his astounding talent. If I obtain the plete iahen I will definitely bee a Tianzun—no, bee a Saint of the Hall of Souls!" Protector Wu became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he had already bee a Dou Saint.

  "What you say does make some sense. But you don't even know whose ia is, and you still want to seize it? If you khe real in, you'd probably be scared senseless." Xiao Yan cast a pitying g Protector Wu. Xiao Xuan hated the Hun the most, and the Hall of Souls recisely the power of the Hun .

  Protector Wu, who cultivated the Soul Trainihod of the Hun , was truly seekih at the doorstep of the King of Hell.

  "Jie Jie Jie, enough with the nonsense. If you hand over the iahis Venerable spare your life for the sake of that lord," Protector Wu said. He was still someprehensive of Hun Huzi, but in the fameemptation, even if Xiao Yan was the son of Hun Tiandi, Protector Wu would not let him go.

  When faced with immeemptation, people might even disregard their own lives!

  "'This Venerable this, this Venerable that'—do you really think you're a Dou Vee? e on the me, Xiao Yan, teach you how to be human—no, teach you how to be a ghost!" Xiao Yan stood tall, provocatively being with his finger as he spoke.

  His fident demeanor made it seem as if he was the Dou Vee instead.

  Even Protector Wu felt some doubt when he saw Xiao Yan's fident look. He swept his powerful Spiritual Strength over Xiao Yan and thought to himself, 'He broke through to Dou Spirit?'

  Xiao Yan had advanced from a 7-star Dou Grandmaster to the Dou Spirit realm in just over a month. That speed was already extremely fast, but to Protector Wu, who had reached Dou Vee strength through secret teiques, even Dou Emperors were just c death.

  Protector Wu nodded, and several Dou Emperor-level Soul Envoys whom he had summoned from elsewhere using soul points surrounded Xiao Yan. Whether he rehensive of Hun Huzi's methods or feared retaliation, Protector Wu had no iion of ag personally.

  A cold glint fshed through Xiao Yan's eyes as he looked at the Soul Envoys in the sky, each with Dou Qi wings and at least at the Dou King realm. He ughed, "My 's aor was truly wise. He had anticipated that such a situation might occur."

  Buzz!!!

  Suddenly, the bd white fmes on Xiao Yan's body emitted a kind of spiritual radiahe dark fmes g tightly to his entire body, obsg his appearance. Xiao Xuan's voice resounded in his heart.

  [This is a Secret Teique that has been passed down in our sint times. I shall impart it to you now.]

  Suddenly, the Dou Qi within Xiao Yan's body began to circute involuntarily. The Skyfire Three Mysterious ge also automatically activated, and the Yin-Yang Twin Fme rapidly circuted along its pathways.

  Having ied a bit of the Dou God Bloodline, Xiao Ya his blood boiling within his body at this moment!

  Although his Dou God Bloodline was only Grade 1, with the Skyfire Three Mysterious ge triggering the Heavenly Fme, the bloodlihin his body began to boil, starting to elevate.

  [This teique requires possessing our 's bloodlio perform even a little. Without our 's bloodli ot be used at all.]

  'Oh, no wonder a bit of the Dou God Bloodline was left behind.'

  Suddenly, the Dou Qi, Spiritual Strength, and blood energy within his body were all instantly mobilized. A wondrous feeling arose in his heart, and a kind of enlighte rushed straight to his mind.

  Xiao Yan had always thought that learning Qi Methods and Dou Teiques involved either studying from scrolls or using soul tools to learn via spiritual information.

  He never expected that there would be this kind of 'hands-on' personal teag!

  Even the prehension of the Secret Teique was transmitted into his mind, just like the legendary 'enlighte poured into the head'.

  [This teique was created by our 's Dou God, Xiao Zhantian. Now, let me demonstrate it for you once!]

  It was as if Xiao Xuan had anticipated that his desdants might face threats when they ied the Heavenly Fme. As such, he left his st bit of strength within the Death Fme so that his desdant could personally experiehis move.

  Xiao Yan, whose entire body was enveloped in bd white fmes, began to move involuntarily. His hands formed seals, and he gently pushed forward.

  [This teique is called… Breaking Through the Heavens!] (TL/N: Po gqiong)

  As the voice sounded in his heart, suddenly, endless profound light erupted from the entire Misty Cloud Sect. Even the area beyond Misty ountain that was enveloped by the storm of the sect-proteg grand formation was illuminated.

  At that instant, it was as if the Misty Cloud Sect had transformed into an immortal realm, bursting with boundless light, like an assion to the heavens.

  "What's happening at the Misty Cloud Sect again!!"

  "Such dazzling light!"

  Even in the nearby Jia Ma Sacred City, they could see the pierg light suddeing from the Misty Cloud Sect.

  Everyone who withis se was shocked and moved. No one knew what had been happening at the Misty Cloud Sect over the past month, let alone what was happening now.

  Everythiuro calm when the radiance gradually dissipated.

  Perhaps Xiao Xuan from a thousand years ago had already anticipated, or even experiehat every time oered a relic's ia would attract a group of troublesome people. So he deliberately left behind this strike within the Death Fme.

  At the same time, it also served to demonstrate to Xiao Yan the kind of glory their 's Dou God had once achieved.

  Although it had been a thousand years, and the power was less than a thousandth of Xiao Xuan's former strength, yet it was… enough.

  One bck Soul Robe after another drifted down slowly from the sky. The people inside had already turo ashes, their souls scattered.

  Ste rings, soul stones, ons, armor, and other items fell from the sky, emitting king sounds that pulled the remaining disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect back to reality.

  At this moment, the remaining Misty Cloud Sect disciples all had pale faces, feeling their hair stand on end. They all felt that Xiao Yan was too terrifying. What exactly was this power!!

  Queen Medusa looked at Xiao Yan, her beautiful eyes filled with shod fear. Such power was beyond the prehension of a Dou Aor—it was at least at the Dou Vee level, or even stronger!

  Xiao Ya out a long breath and murmured softly, "Rest assured, Aor, I have received this Secret Teique."

  With a snapping sound, the Yin-Yang Twin Fme fell into his palm, like passing a rey baton.

  Xiao Xuan could be said to have spared no effort. He had sidered every aspect for his to have a ce to rise again tless years ter.

  He even anticipated that his desdants might be besieged.

  Xiao Yan walked over to Yun Yun's side. At this moment, she was kneeling beside Yun Shan's corpse. To the lonely and helpless Yun Yun, Yun Shan was the family who had raised her.

  Her beautiful eyes were filled with tears, looking a bit lost, weak, and helpless as she turo look at Xiao Yan. Even he couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart upon seeiear-streaked face, resembling a pear blossom bathed in rain.

  Yun Shan had brought this upon himself and couldn't be saved. Even going to the Misty Cloud Sect's Hall of Souls was fraught with various probes; he didn't dare to rashly go to the Hall of Souls. That was because he sehat the Hall of Souls was too deep and unfathomable.

  When fag the strong, one must be even more cautious and careful, because they could kill you at any time.

  With a flicker of fme, Xiao Yan's right hand densed a ball of white Life Fme aly ied it into Yun Shan's body. The Life Fme began to burn his body.

  The Life Fme of the Yin-Yang Twin Fme could save people. It was ever-renewing. But even a Heavenly Fme couldn't bring the dead back to life. The Life Fme was more like a fme that accelerated cell division and healing, and it could also restore Spiritual Strength.

  A faint white illusory figure gradually appeared as the Life Fme burhis was Yun Shan's residual soul, simir to a remnant soul—not even a plete soul body. Yun Shan's soul had already been devoured by Protector Wu.

  This was densed by Xiao Yan using the power of the Life Fme.

  Xiao Yaly forted, "Say yoodbyes properly."

  No matter how detestable Yun Shan was, no matter how much he had brought this upon himself, he was, after all, the one who had raised Yun Yun. This was all he could do.

  Not wanting to disturb Yun Yun's farewell, he gave the two plenty of space.

  He walked up to Medusa with a grin and said, "I thought you had already run away."

  Medusa was instantly infuriated. Does this guy know how to speak properly?!

  A warm white fme slowly seeped into Medusa's injured hands.

  "What was that power of yours?" Medusa looked straight at Xiao Yan. If Xiao Yan could possess such strength, it would be too terrifying.

  Medusa hadn't left the Misty Cloud Sed had even saved Yun Yun, which made Xiao Yan begin to trust her. He spread his hands and said, "It's a long story, but unfortunately, that kind of power only be used once."

  Right now, he didn't want to let go of Queen Medusa, this Dou Aor-level bodyguard. His aor's power was only a oime thing. Even the Yin-Yang Twin Fme couldn't withstand too much of Xiao Xuan's strength.

  Xiao Yan looked toward Nan Yanran and the dejected, bewildered disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect behind her. After experieng this i, the Misty Cloud Sect had likely lost its status as the number o in the Jia Ma Empire.

  Not only had their stro former Sect Leader Yun Shan died, but most of the elders ae disciples had perished as well. It could be said that now, the stro person in the Misty Cloud Sect was Yun Yun, followed by a few peak Dou Spirit elders, and then Nan Yanran.

  This strength was already far inferior to the Jia Ma Imperial Family. The imperial family, which had long harbored apprehensions about the Misty Cloud Sect, probably wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.

  Sure enough, not long after, Jia Xing Tian, Hai Bodong, and others, upon seeing the brilliant light erupting from the Misty Cloud Sect, hurriedly flew over from Jia Ma Sacred City.

  "What oh happened here?" Hai Bodong looked at the corpses scattered across the ground, especially the mountain-like piles of bodies on the massive Soul Altars, making his scalp tingle.

  What exactly had the Misty Cloud Sect been doing in just over a month?!

  "Xiao Yan, what exactly happened?" Jia Xing Tian nded beside Xiao Yan.

  He had noticed something amiss with the Misty Cloud Sect. Every disciple was dejected, Sect Leader Yun Yun seemed lost, and as for the Dou Aor Yun Shan, there was no sign of him.

  After thinking for a while, Xiao Yan said, "The Misty Cloud Sect was invaded by an evil force. The Old Sect Leader Yun Shan and some of the elders died in battle."

  Upon hearing Xiao Yan's expnation, Nan Yanran looked as if she wao say something but hesitated. Queen Medusa, oher hand, remained silent.

  Hai Bodong and Jia Xing Tian exged gnces. Both were old foxes and naturally sehat what Xiao Yan said might not be the whole truth.

  However, they didn't press further. If Xiao Yan was unwilling to eborate, they wouldn't force the issue. The truth wasn't important; what mattered was that whatever Xiao Yan said it was, then that's what it was.

  Not long after, Yun Yun slowly walked over. Uhe gazes of all the Misty Cloud Sect disciples, she pulled herself together and said, "Everyone, a great camity has befallen our Misty Cloud Sect. Please give me some time."

  "For now, our Misty Cloud Sect will temporarily close. Three days ter, once I have settled the sect's affairs, I will give everyone an answer."

  With these final words, everyone uood that the sun was setting on the Misty Cloud Sect.

  tless Misty Cloud Sect disciples sighed at this moment, feeling a deep sense of sorrow. The Misty Cloud Sect was once so glorious, but now it had fallen to such a state. Such a drastic ge was truly difficult to accept.

  Many disciples didn't know the specifics of what had happened within the Misty Cloud Sect. Only Queen Medusa, Yun Yun, and Nan Yanran were aware of the existence of the Hall of Souls.

  …

  The events that transpired in the Misty Cloud Sect spread like wildfire to every er of the Jia Ma Empire in just half a day, instantly causing a huge uproar throughout the entire empire.

  Everyone knew how formidable and terrifying the Misty Cloud Sect's poithin the Jia Ma Empire, especially with the news of Yun Shan's breakthrough to the Dou Aor realm more than a month ago, which had signifitly boosted the sect's prestige.

  However, now the shog news spread that the Misty Cloud Sect had been attacked by a mysterious forot only had Yun Shan died in battle, but many Dou King-level elders within the sect had also perished, suffering a catastrophic camity.

  This was undoubtedly ah-shatteri for the people of the Jia Ma Empire.

  But the disaster was not over yet. In just one day, two-thirds of the remaining Misty Cloud Sect disciples submitted applications to leave the sect. All of them were disciples from major local s, like Mo Li from the Mo .

  These people had only joihe Misty Cloud Sect to climb the social dder. Now that the Misty Cloud Sect had fallen, they naturally scattered like monkeys wheree falls, hurrying bae for fear of retaliation from that mysterious force.

  The remaining elders and deas left even more quickly. In just one day, the vast Misty Cloud Sect was almost emptied of people.

  Only some poor disciples, who had joihe sect with the sole purpose of learning, remained.

  In the main hall, Yun Yun, Xiao Yan, and Queen Medusa were present.

  "Master, this is the letter Elder Gu He left behind." Nan Yanran ched her fists tightly a somewhat indignant. She hadn't expected Gu He, who had always been kind to her, to leave when the Misty Cloud Sect was at its most difficult time.

  Only Yun Yun uood that the real reason Gu He left wasn't because the Misty Cloud Sect had fallen on hard times, but because of her retionship with Xiao Yan.

  "Yanran, how are the sect's affairs being arranged?" Yun Yun asked.

  "Everything has been properly arrahe deceased on the Soul Altars have been handed over to the army at the foot of Misty ountain to record their appearances and help identify them. Master, why do you want to know the identities of those people?" Nan Yanran asked in fusion.

  Yun Yun sighed softly and said, "Those people died because of the Misty Cloud Sect; they died within rounds. As the Sect Leader, I have a responsibility to bear for this. I pn to visit the families of each of these people to seek their fiveness."

  "But Master, if you go to visit the families of the deceased, the Misty Cloud Sect ot be without you."

  "I will pass the position of Sect Leader to you before I leave."

  Nan Yanran hurriedly k down upon hearing these words, tears streaming down her face as she said, "Wherever Master goes, Yanran will go."

  "Yanran, stand up first. The Misty Cloud Sect ot be dissolved. There are still many poor, background-less disciples who came to the Misty Cloud Sect to learn."

  Xiao Yan, who had been watg Yun Yun and Nan Yanran's deep bond as master and disciple from the side, rubbed his nose and said, "Actually, I have a suggestion."

  Yun Yun and Nan Yanran turo look at him. Even Queen Medusa, who had been quietly sipping tea, curiously gnced over at him, all eager to hear what suggestion he had.

  Xiao Yan revealed a meaningful smile.

  …

  Two days ter, in Rock Desert City.

  Rock Desert City now looked pletely different from a few months ago. There was now aremely luxurious merary pany base iy.

  This massive building, resembling a modern military base, was the Desert Metal Merary paablished by Xiao Yan's two older brothers.

  The Desert Metal Merary pany was now a behemoth in Rock Desert City. A merary pany possessing three Dou Grandmasters and dozens of Dou Masters—with such strength, it wasn't just the stro merary pany in Rock Desert City but also the stro in surrounding cities.

  "Keep running, all of you! Are you still meraries of the Desert Metal Merary pany?!" A sexily dressed woman was yelling at those meraries lying on the ground, uo run anymore. The whip in her hand cracked loudly as it struck the ground.

  "Captain Xue Lan, we really 't run anymore. You're a Dou Master while we're still only at the Dou Practitioner realm."

  "That's right, Captain. We really 't hold on any longer. Let us rest for a bit."

  Xue Lan gritted her teeth and gred fiercely at these meraries. "You useless things! If the Third pany Leader saw you like this, how disappointed would he be in our merary pany!"

  Chirp chirp!!

  Just then, a messenger eagle flew over the Desert Metal Merary pany. A letter tied to a stone quickly dropped down.

  The Dou Qi ti didn't have telephones. unication could only rely on the most primitive methods.

  Xue Lan picked up the letter from the ground. When she saw the sender, her eyes instantly lit up with pleasant surprise.

  "Rest in pce for ten minutes!"

  Xue Lahe letter and hurriedly rushed into Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's office.

  Xiao Li put down his pen and said, "Xue Lan, how many times have I told you? No matter hent it is, you must remember to knock before entering."

  "pany Leaders, it's a letter from the Third pany Leader!" Xue Lan held up the letter in her hand.

  Upon hearing that it was a letter from Xiao Yan, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li immediately put down their work. Xiao Li snatched the letter.

  Xiao Ding said unhappily, "Why are you snatg it? What if the letter gets torn? What did Third Brother say? Is he doing well?"

  Xiao Li read the tents of the letter and excimed, "Ah?!"

  Xiao Ding's eyes narrowed as he hurriedly asked, "Did something happen to Third Brother?"

  Xiao Li looked at his older brother with an expression of disbelief and said hesitantly, "Big Brother, Third Brother wants our Xiao to take over the Misty Cloud Sect."