Hall of Souls

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Hall of Souls
Original Name	魂殿
Type	Organization
Affiliation	Supported by the Soul Clan 677 805
Occupation/Role	Central Plains power that captures, imprisons, studies, and exploits soul bodies; recruits and directs affiliated factions 302 577 761
Status	Active; engaged in a major conflict with the Great Love Alliance and its allies 943 998
First Appearance	Chapter 191

Organization and Hierarchy

Rank / Division	Known details
Hall Master / Vice Hall Master	The Hall Master and Vice Hall Master are stated to possess Dou Sheng cultivation. The number of Vice Hall Masters is confidential, even to Heavenly Venerates. 400 857
Venerables	Rank above Great Protectors. A Venerable may establish and lead an Earth Grade Branch Hall. 400 998
Great Protectors	Protectors at Seven Star Dou Zong or above. Human Hall Masters and Vice Hall Masters are Great Protectors. 400 581
Protectors	The organization’s backbone; require at least Dou Zong cultivation. Their deaths draw investigation from supervising Earth Grade Branch Halls. 589 618
Disciples	Guard facilities and serve beneath Protectors and higher-ranking personnel. 667 670
Branch Halls	Divided into Heaven, Earth, and Human ranks. Human Halls are the lowest-ranked branch halls. 577 581
Outposts	Maintained in sufficiently large cities for intelligence gathering and message transmission. 577
Affiliated forces	Includes external subordinates and collaborators such as Yun Shan and Han Feng. 618

Known Facilities

• West Underworld Human Hall — A Human Grade Branch Hall in the Central State Western Region, formerly led by Wu Hall Master. 581
• West Underworld Earth Hall / Hall of Dead Souls — An Earth Grade Branch Hall where Yao Chen and numerous other soul bodies were imprisoned. 663 667
• Blazing Fire City outpost — An outpost contacted by Nalan Ye while posing as “Magpie Protector.” 618

Methods and Resources

Soul Capture and Imprisonment

The Hall of Souls captures soul bodies across the continent, including Alchemists, independent cultivators, and members of clans and sects. Its victims are stored in specialized facilities and can be held for years. 761 833 867

• A roster of 473 rescued victims from the West Underworld Earth Hall was later used to expose the organization’s atrocities. 761 833
• The organization uses Soul Bottles to contain collected soul bodies. 998
• Soul bodies at the West Underworld Earth Hall were bound within soul orbs and restrained by thick black chains. 672

Soul Research

For thousands of years, the Hall of Souls has studied the “path of the soul” in pursuit of the soul’s hidden mysteries. 302

• Its members are primarily soul bodies and do not use cultivation methods based on the nine major elemental attributes. 198
• Its personnel possess unusually strong sensitivity to soul power. 810
• The organization is associated with specialized soul techniques and resources, though not every soul technique linked to it is confirmed to originate from it. 575 761

Intelligence Network

The Hall of Souls maintains a broad Central Plains network through branch halls and city outposts. 577

• Outposts gather intelligence and relay messages upward through the organization. 577
• Its structure is described as so extensive and complex that even the Hall Master may not know its full reach. 618
• It recruits informants from enemy factions and rewards valuable intelligence with medicinal pills and advancement opportunities. 841

Formations and Restraints

• Eight Extremes Four Spirits Grand Array — A defensive formation possessed by the West Underworld Earth Hall; its power is comparable to that of a Venerable. 670
  • The array’s pillars were forged from Soul Locking Iron, a material designed to restrain souls. 669
  • Only Earth Grade Branch Halls are stated to qualify to possess the formation. 670
  • The West Underworld Earth Hall’s array was destroyed during the rescue of Yao Chen before its defenses could fully activate. 670

History

Early Influence in the Northwest Territory

The Hall of Souls was already involved with Yun Shan and the Yun Lan Sect during the rise of the Supervisory Left Division. Wu Protector met Yun Shan on Yun Lan Mountain and took interest in Nalan Ye’s talent and political ability. 191

Wu Protector later approached Nalan Ye directly, identifying the Hall of Souls as a faction destined to rule the Dou Qi Continent and requesting the Xiao Family’s Tou She Ancient God Jade. 197 198 Nalan Ye recognized that Yun Shan and the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate had also been approached by the organization. 199

Vulture Protector subsequently traveled to the Nalan Empire to seize Yao Chen and recruit Nalan Ye. He killed Yun Shan after dismissing Yun Shan’s offer of assistance, then unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Yao Chen to join the Hall of Souls. 388 Yun Shan’s death, which appeared to result from direct soul destruction, later raised suspicions of internal conflict within the organization. 400

Capture and Rescue of Yao Chen

Yao Chen was imprisoned in the West Underworld Earth Hall under the control of the Hall of Dead Souls Master, with a Venerable and three Great Protectors identified among the hall’s defenders. 598

Nalan Ye and Wind Venerable infiltrated the Earth Hall using a genuine Protector Token, reached Soul Locking Square, and discovered Yao Chen alongside many imprisoned souls. 663 667 Their assault destroyed the Eight Extremes Four Spirits Grand Array, forced the Hall of Dead Souls Master to retreat, and caused the hall’s Protectors and disciples to scatter. 670 671

The rescue of Yao Chen transformed the Hall of Souls from a distant threat into the direct enemy of Starfall Pavilion, Burning Flame Valley, and Nalan Ye’s allies. 675 731

Retaliation Against Burning Flame Valley

After the West Underworld Earth Hall’s defeat, the Vice Hall Master ordered Star Plucking Old Ghost to cooperate with Ice River Valley and attack Burning Flame Valley. The operation was intended to demonstrate the Hall of Souls’ power in Central State. 677

During the ensuing battle, Wu Hall Master covertly coordinated with Nalan Ye while publicly maintaining the appearance of fighting him. 706 707 Despite the Hall of Souls’ intervention, Burning Flame Valley survived, leading Starfall Pavilion and Burning Flame Valley to establish a defensive alliance against future retaliation. 717 731

War with the Great Love Alliance

The alliance expanded into the Great Love Alliance, openly formed to oppose the Hall of Souls and assist its victims. 740 741 The release of the 473-victim roster turned public opinion against the organization and attracted relatives, friends, independent cultivators, and smaller factions to the alliance. 833 846 851

The Hall of Souls attacked Starfall Pavilion during the Great Love Alliance’s Opening Alliance Ceremony with five Venerables, later escalating the conflict with additional Venerables and the arrival of the Dou Sheng Nether Bone Saint. 852 855 858 Nether Bone Saint was defeated through the cooperation of Nalan Ye, Tang San, and a white-robed Saint. 860

The Hall of Souls ultimately withdrew from the Star Realm after suffering severe casualties: nearly one hundred Protectors participated, but only slightly more than half returned. 864

Continuing Conflict

Following the Star Realm battle, the Hall of Souls continued to build alliances with major Central Plains forces. The Heaven Nether Sect was confirmed to be colluding with it, while Ice River Valley, Wind and Lightning Pavilion, and Yellow Springs Pavilion were suspected of extensive cooperation. 949

By Chapter 998, the conflict between the Hall of Souls and the Great Love Alliance had become a large-scale war. The Pill Tower’s participation had brought the struggle to a stalemate rather than a decisive conclusion. 998

Relationships

• Soul Clan — The greater power backing the Hall of Souls; the organization’s access to influence and protection is attributed to Soul Clan support. 677 805
• Wu Hall Master — Formerly Wu Protector; rose from Protector to Hall Master and became a prominent operative within the organization. 581 998
• Seventh Heavenly Venerate — Hall of Souls Venerable who led operations in the Ancient Ruins and later presided over an Earth Grade Branch Hall. 805 998
• Star Plucking Old Ghost — Hall of Souls Venerable ordered to cooperate with Ice River Valley against Burning Flame Valley. 677
• Nether Bone Saint — Hall of Souls Dou Sheng deployed against the Great Love Alliance at Starfall Pavilion. 858 860
• Ice River Valley — Military ally used in the attack on Burning Flame Valley. 677 706
• Great Love Alliance — Principal enemy coalition, formed specifically to resist the Hall of Souls and publicize its crimes. 740 850
• Pill Tower — Longstanding enemy due to the Hall of Souls’ practice of capturing Alchemists’ souls; later joined the war against it. 867 998
• Yao Chen — Captured and imprisoned by the Hall of Souls until his rescue from the West Underworld Earth Hall. 581 672
• Nalan Ye — Initially targeted for recruitment and later repeatedly accused of membership due to his covert dealings with Wu Hall Master; he publicly and actively opposes the organization. 388 681 850