Yao Chen

"F-Father, this is my son, Xiao Yan."

Xiao Zhan said respectfully.

Xiao Yan followed suit and bowed. "I'm Xiao Yan. Greetings, Senior."

"To have already reached the second level of Dou Qi at five years old—that's a fine talent." Xiao Xuan nodded slightly.

Xiao Yan lifted his chin and said smugly, "You flatter me, Senior."

Xiao Xuan pointed at the ring on Xiao Yan's hand. "May I take a look?"

As Xiao Yan removed the ring, he felt a piercing chill appear out of nowhere, then vanish in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Xuan took the ring.

"Now that it's come to this, you're still not coming out? Do I have to invite you?"

"?" Xiao Yan froze.

Was he talking to the ring?

Was this Senior out of his mind?

The next second!

To his horror, he saw an almost transparent old man's figure emerge from the ring that had belonged to him!

Xiao Yan's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets!

When had this ghostly thing crawled into his ring?

A wave of relief at having narrowly escaped disaster sent chills down his spine!

If not for the Senior before him, would this man have possessed him?

Xiao Zhan was just as shocked!

He thanked the heavens a thousand times over.

The old man looked at Xiao Xuan and realized that he, too, was a soul form!

What's more, even he couldn't see through the other man's strength!

A powerful sense of unease made him feel as if thorns were pricking his back!

"How did you know I was hiding in the ring?"

Yao Chen had meant to flee, but found the area sealed off by a powerful force!

He had no choice but to give up.

After Xiao Xuan had Xiao Zhan take Xiao Yan away, he spoke calmly. "Yao Chen, peak Nine-Star Dou Zun, high-tier Eighth-Tier alchemy grandmaster, cast-off of the Yao Clan, master of Starfall Pavilion..."

"Are you with the Soul Hall?" Yao Chen's expression darkened. His nearly transparent body trembled violently, like water at a rolling boil!

At that moment, he was ready to fight to the death!

"Quite the opposite. I'm going to destroy the Soul Hall—or, no, I should say, the Hun Clan!"

Xiao Xuan said calmly.

His expression was utterly composed, as if the Hun Clan and the Jialie Clan of Wutan City were no different in his eyes.

"You?"

Yao Chen froze. Though he didn't believe him, for some reason, the confidence in Xiao Xuan's voice—

It made Yao Chen feel that the other man would surely see it through.

Xiao Xuan suddenly realized. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is... Xiao Xuan. I assume you've heard of me?"

"X-Xiao Xuan? Which Xiao Xuan?"

"Think about it. How many Xiao Xuans would dare to oppose the Hun Clan?"

"What?! Y-You're that Xiao... Xiao Xuan?! No, that's impossible!"

Yao Chen's pupils contracted. An expression of utter disbelief appeared on his nearly transparent face.

Xiao Xuan couldn't be bothered to explain any further.

He unleashed the full force of his soul power!

Boom!

A powerful soul pressure descended from above, leaving Yao Chen drenched in sweat.

"Em... Emperor Realm Soul!"

Yao Chen was horrified!

He himself was only at the mid-Heaven Realm!

He still had a long way to go before reaching perfection!

And the legendary Emperor Realm was even more out of his reach!

As far as he knew, in the past thousand years, only a handful of people across the entire Dou Qi Continent had cultivated their soul power to the Emperor Realm!

Xiao Xuan was one of them!

When the soul pressure finally faded,

Yao Chen raised his head and looked at Xiao Xuan.

"Y-You... weren't you already dead?"

In an instant, even the way he addressed him changed!

Xiao Xuan said calmly, "I was indeed injured back then. It took a thousand years of recovery before I could heal. Now, I'd like to invite you to join the Soul Extermination Plan. Are you willing?"

The Soul Extermination Plan was, naturally, a plan to destroy the Hun Clan.

"Fine. I agree!"

Yao Chen didn't even ask what the plan was. Just hearing the name Xiao Xuan was enough for him to agree.

After all...

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

What's more, in the past two thousand years, Xiao Xuan was the only one who had dared to openly challenge the Hun Clan.

"In your current state, I won't need you to do much. Just put your expertise to use and refine pills suited to improving the strength of our Xiao Clan members."

"Rest assured, that's right up my alley. It's just that the ingredients..."

"You don't need to worry about that. I'll take care of it. I'll also find you a few fifth- and sixth-tier alchemists to assist you for now. In the future, even higher-tier alchemists will surely join us."

Yao Chen nodded, then asked, "By the way, if there are any members of the Xiao Family suited to practicing alchemy, may I take them as disciples?"

"Of course."

There was probably only one person in the Xiao Family who met that requirement: Xiao Yan.

As for how far he'd get in this life without those three years of tempering, that would be up to him!

"What about the plan I mentioned? Are you willing?"

"If not for the Soul Hall and that treacherous disciple, how would I have ended up in this state? As long as I can get revenge, I'm willing!"

Yao Chen's eyes shone with resolve.

Xiao Xuan gave an approving nod. "You truly live up to your title of Venerable Yao. You've got guts. Don't worry—with me here, I won't let you come to harm. I'll also help you restore your body so you can personally clean house!"

Yao Chen grew even more excited. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Then allow me to thank you in advance."

With that, the first phase of the plan was settled!

Xiao Xuan called for Xiao Zhan and told him to take over the businesses of the Aoba Clan and Jialie Clan as soon as possible, and keep growing them stronger.

At the same time, following Yao Lao's instructions, he was to gather the ingredients needed to refine body-tempering pills!

Then Xiao Xuan brought out the cultivation technique Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations and had Xiao Zhan select some of the clan's outstanding disciples to practice it.

Xiao Xuan always felt that the energy here was insufficient.

The only place in the entire Jia Ma Empire that seemed halfway decent was probably the Misty Cloud Sect.

Xiao Xuan immediately decided to leave some people behind to continue managing the Xiao Family's businesses.

He would move everyone else to Misty Cloud Sect, where Yun Shan and the others, with their greater strength, could guide the Xiao Family members in their cultivation.

He would make that place a new starting point!

Why not seek out someone even stronger?

Don't rush. Take it one step at a time. There'll be bread!

Xiao Xuan set up a barrier around the Xiao Family—one that only Hun Tiandi and Gu Yuan had the power to break by force—to protect everyone.

After that, he headed to Jiama Holy City.

Misty Cloud Sect stood on Misty Cloud Mountain, outside Jiama Holy City.

Clouds and mist shrouded the place year-round, making it look like a fairyland!

Today, the Misty Cloud Sect was hosting an important event!

Jia Xingtian of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, the heads of the three major clans, and the president of the Alchemist Guild had all been invited.

"Old Man Jia, do you know why Yun Shan summoned us here?" Fa Ma, the current president of the Alchemist Guild, asked, turning his head.

Jia Xingtian shook his head. "Who knows what that fellow is up to?"

Fa Ma guessed, "Could he be planning to form an alliance and make himself its leader?"

A few years ago, when the Jia Ma Empire had fought the Snake-People Tribe, Yun Shan had brought it up.

"In his dreams!" Jia Xingtian snorted.

Just then, Yun Shan's voice suddenly rang out.

"Who's dreaming?"