The Misty Cloud Sect's Foundation!

Overestimating yourself!

Feng Protector laughed wildly. The power of the black chains under his control surged once more, their tips rapidly breaking through Yun Shan's Dou Qi attack and viciously stabbing toward his heart.

At that moment, beneath Nalan Yanran and Qing Lin, a red figure appeared before Yun Shan in an instant at a speed nearly invisible to the naked eye. Just as the tip of the black chain was about to pierce Yun Shan, he reached out and grabbed it.

With a single grasp from the red figure, the black chain, which had possessed immense force, shattered directly.

Crimson Flood Dragon's cultivation had already drawn infinitely close to the Peak Nine-Star Dou Zong. Perhaps before long, like Little Silver, he would attempt to break through to the Dou Zun Realm. With his current Peak Nine-Star Dou Zong strength, dealing with a Feng Protector who was merely at the peak of the four-star Dou Zong level could not have been easier.

"Who are you?"

Seeing his attack effortlessly erased by the suddenly appearing red-haired middle-aged man, shock flashed through Feng Protector's eyes within the black mist, and he cried out in alarm.

"Someone here to take your life!"

A violent voice burst from the red-haired middle-aged man's mouth. Then, scarlet light suddenly flared from his palm, and a heart-palpitating energy fluctuation spread forth.

"Crimson Flood Dragon, don't kill him yet. Just restrain him."

Just as Crimson Flood Dragon was about to strike and kill Feng Protector, Nalan Yanran hurriedly stopped him.

Upon hearing Nalan Yanran's words, the scarlet glow in Crimson Flood Dragon's palm faded. Then, with a flash, he strangely appeared behind the cloud of black mist. With a light slap, the entire mass of black mist scattered, revealing the figure within, wrapped from head to toe in a black robe.

"So, it's only a soul body!"

After dispersing the black mist, Crimson Flood Dragon saw through Feng Protector's true nature at a glance. The next moment, he extended his thick, powerful hands brimming with terrifying Dou Qi energy and grabbed Feng Protector by the neck. Feng Protector was seized without the slightest ability to resist.

"Thank you, Senior, for saving me!"

Seeing Crimson Flood Dragon destroy the black chains attacking him and capture Feng Protector alive, Yun Shan spoke gratefully.

Seeing Yun Shan address him as Senior, Crimson Flood Dragon repeatedly waved his hands and shook his head. "Mr. Yun Shan, you are Mistress's Master. How could I dare accept such a title from you?"

"This... Yun Yun is your Mistress, then... Gu He is your master!" Yun Shan said in astonishment, disbelief in his eyes.

"Yes, Mr. Yun Shan!" Crimson Flood Dragon nodded.

Feng Protector, who had been captured by Crimson Flood Dragon, was also shaken to his core. From the conversation between Yun Shan and Crimson Flood Dragon, it was not difficult for him to sort out their relationship.

In Feng Protector's view, the man before him had at least reached the terrifying level of an Eight-star Dou Zong, or perhaps even a Nine-star Dou Zong. For someone like him to call another his master, that master had to be, at the very least, a Dou Zun.

Thinking of this, Feng Protector understood that he had truly kicked an iron plate today.

"You two, today's matter was merely a misunderstanding. I am Feng Protector of the Soul Hall. I hope you can spare me for the Soul Hall's sake!" Suppressed all over by red energy, Feng Protector spoke with difficulty.

"Shut up!"

Hearing that voice still filled with sinister energy, Crimson Flood Dragon roared at Feng Protector, "If you dare interrupt again, I'll destroy you directly."

Having witnessed Crimson Flood Dragon's terrifying strength and heard the killing intent in his words, Feng Protector immediately fell silent.

By then, Nalan Yanran had already arrived before Yun Shan. She respectfully asked, "Grandmaster, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Your Grandmaster isn't that frail yet!" Yun Shan waved his hand.

"It's good that you're all right, Grandmaster... By the way, Grandmaster, can you tell Yan Ran why this Feng Protector came to see you secretly in the dead of night? What transaction did he want to make with you? And do you know anything about the faction called the Soul Hall that Feng Protector keeps mentioning?" Nalan Yanran fired several questions at Yun Shan in one breath.

After asking those questions, Nalan Yanran hurriedly added a sincere explanation.

"Grandmaster, please don't misunderstand. Yan Ran is only asking because I'm worried about your safety and the safety of the Misty Cloud Sect. I have no intention of offending you!"

Yun Shan did not take offense at Nalan Yanran's string of questions. Instead, he candidly explained, "Yan Ran, I had never met this Feng Protector before. I had only dealt with the Vulture Protector he mentioned earlier... The faction behind them should have many Protectors with strength like theirs. As for anything else, I don't know."

"This matter is of great importance. It may concern the life and death of the Misty Cloud Sect. We should inform your Master and Master's Wife as soon as possible!" Yun Shan said in a grave tone.

"Grandmaster, Master and Master's Wife left on a long journey some days ago. They aren't in the Misty Cloud Sect at the moment!" Nalan Yanran replied, shaking her head.

"Gu He and Yun Yun have gone traveling! Did they say when they would return?"

Yun Shan spoke in surprise. In his heart, he had already regarded Gu He as someone he could rely on.

"Yan Ran doesn't know either!"

Nalan Yanran shook her head again. Then, flapping the wings on her back, she flew to a point three meters in front of Crimson Flood Dragon and loudly questioned Feng Protector, "The Soul Hall you mentioned—where does it come from, and what is its purpose in coming to my Misty Cloud Sect?"

The Soul Hall had always operated in secrecy. Even many factions in the Central Plains had only heard its name, and even fewer people in the remote, barren Northwest Continent knew of it.

"Hehe, little girl, the Soul Hall I serve is so terrifyingly powerful that I'm afraid it would scare you to death if I told you!" Feng Protector said with a strange laugh.

"Ah!"

However, as soon as he finished speaking, Crimson Flood Dragon delivered a heavy kick. His soul immediately cried out in agony.

"Speak properly, or I'll erase your soul outright!" Crimson Flood Dragon shouted angrily.

Feng Protector greatly feared Crimson Flood Dragon, who kept threatening to erase his soul at every turn. Even trying to intimidate him with the Soul Hall's status had no effect whatsoever, because Crimson Flood Dragon had no idea how formidable the Soul Hall was. Therefore, in order to survive, Feng Protector's foremost goal was to tell these "ignorant country bumpkins" just how powerful the Soul Hall truly was.

"Have you heard the saying spread throughout the Central Plains: one hall, one tower, two sects, three valleys, and four pavilions? It encompasses some of the strongest factions in the Central Plains! Among them, the hall and the tower hold transcendent status and rank first among these factions. Even the Four Pavilions, which rank at the bottom and are the weakest, each have at least one Dou Zun overseeing them!"

"The faction I serve is the Soul Hall, which holds transcendent status in the Central Plains!" Feng Protector gave a relatively brief introduction.

"Even each of the weakest Four Pavilions has a Dou Zun overseeing it? Then doesn't your Soul Hall have several Dou Zun experts?"