The Angler Xiao Xuan

"That old thing Yun Shan, he really does love pulling these little stunts! Good thing I was prepared."

Jia Xingtian spat, then pulled a bamboo flute from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Zhan.

"Clan Leader Xiao, I have no other congratulatory gift. This is a summoning flute for a Tier 6 Magical Beast that our family has raised for many years. As long as you blow it, it will appear immediately. Please accept it as a mount, Clan Leader Xiao."

"?" Mu Chen.

Mittal Tengshan: "??"

Shameless old thief, giving the same gift twice, how utterly shameless! Yun Shan cursed wildly in his heart.

Xiao Zhan cupped his hands in thanks: "Many thanks, Brother Yun Shan, many thanks Jia... Jia..."

Jia Xingtian smiled and took over: "Old Man Jia, just call me Old Man Jia. Everyone calls me that."

"By the way, that lord didn't come with you?" Yun Shan asked on the way up the mountain.

Xiao Zhan shook his head: "The elder has a matter to attend to and might not return for some time. However, he gave me an item to pass on to you. He said if you inject your Dou Qi into it, a formidable formation will manifest over the Misty Cloud Sect!"

"This is... a formation disk!!" Yun Shan's breathing grew heavy. After studying it for a moment, he immediately injected his Dou Qi into it.

Hum! Hum!

Hum! Hum!

Suddenly, the crimson formation disk began to emit a rhythmic humming sound!

Then, a visible beam of light shot out from within, exploding hundreds of feet high in the sky and transforming into specks of energy that wove together into a barrier!

The barrier enveloped the entire Misty Cloud Mountain!

"What a formidable formation!" Jia Xingtian couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"It is more powerful than any formation technique I have ever seen!" Fa Ma nodded, sighing with emotion.

Although they did not know exactly how sturdy this barrier was, they were certain that even if all of them attacked together, they would never be able to shake it in the slightest!

With this, the safety of the Misty Cloud Sect... no, the Xiao Clan, was guaranteed!

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Xiao Xuan brought Yao Chen to the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

"Senior, didn't you say we were going to the Tianxin Empire? Why have we come to the Magical Beast Mountain Range?"

Now that they were more familiar with each other, Yao Chen dared to initiate conversation with Xiao Xuan.

"There is a Companion Amethyst Source here."

Xiao Xuan's figure appeared inside the cave dwelling of the Amethyst Winged Lion King!

The Amethyst Winged Lion King was lying on the ground, fast asleep.

Beside it, the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King was hugging its father's massive paw, drooling.

The father and son were sleeping very soundly.

"There really... there really is a Companion Amethyst Source!"

Yao Lao stared in disbelief at the purple sphere, the size of a human head, beneath the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King.

Back in the day, he had raided eight Amethyst Winged Lion King dens and never managed to find such a treasure.

Xiao Xuan reached out and grabbed the purple sphere from a distance!

The Little Amethyst Winged Lion King was casually tossed into the corner of the cave.

Bang!

The Little Amethyst Winged Lion King woke up and let out a roar to warn Xiao Xuan and his companion, while simultaneously trying to wake its father!

At this moment, the Amethyst Winged Lion King, sensing something amiss, suddenly snapped its eyes open!

Seeing two uninvited human guests in its cave, its entire body of purple scales immediately began to flash with a blinding purple light!

"How dare you trespass into this King's dwelling and disturb my rest! Are you seeking death?!"

"Noisy beast! Die!"

Xiao Xuan pointed a finger, and a dense surge of soul power condensed into a transparent arrow, which streaked violently toward the Amethyst Winged Lion King!

"Arrogant human, do you really think this King is—"

The Amethyst Winged Lion King let out a cold snort, but before it could finish its sentence—

Squelch!

The sharp arrow pierced through its skull, pinning it to the rock wall of the cave!

The Little Amethyst Winged Lion King trembled in terror.

Xiao Xuan flashed onto the stone platform.

He reached out and grabbed at the ground!

BOOM!

The ground shook violently as the Companion Amethyst Source, embedded within the stone platform, was forcibly ripped out in its entirety by a powerful suction force!

"Is this the power of an Emperor Realm soul? Truly terrifying!"

Yao Chen was secretly shocked.

If it were him, he would have had to use a Purple Spirit Crystal to shatter the stone shell encasing the Companion Amethyst Source just to extract it, and even then, he would have wasted a great deal!

Xiao Xuan stowed away the Companion Amethyst Source, took the Purple Spirit Crystal as well, and handed them to Yao Chen.

"Keep these safe."

Then, under Yao Chen's horrified gaze!

Xiao Xuan swallowed both the large and small Amethyst Winged Lion Kings whole!

"I... I have lived for so many years, and this is truly the first time I have seen someone swallow a Magical Beast alive like this!"

Even Magical Beasts don't swallow each other like that!

Yao Chen's worldview was being completely overhauled.

After swallowing the Amethyst Winged Lion Kings, Xiao Xuan sat cross-legged in mid-air and began to refine them!

Two and a half hours later.

Ding, detected that the host has devoured one Rank 6 Magical Beast and one Rank 3 Magical Beast. Physical body recovery progress +0.1%, 99.9% remaining.

"Damn it!"

Xiao Xuan couldn't help but curse inwardly.

Just how many Magical Beasts would he have to swallow to reach 100% progress!

Perhaps he should just find a suitable physical body to possess instead?

Having obtained the Companion Amethyst Source, the main ingredient for refining the Red Fire Pill, Xiao Xuan did not linger.

He took Yao Chen with him, searching for medicinal herbs for alchemy while hunting for various rare treasures needed to restore his physical body and refine pills.

Half a month later.

Xiao Xuan arrived at the Tianxin Empire.

After making inquiries along the way, he finally located the Heaven Burial Ravine and stopped at a mountain range nearby.

Xiao Xuan tossed a dark red fruit to Yao Chen.

"This is a medicinal essence for repairing soul strength. Consume some first to recover before you begin refining pills."

Looking at the fruit in his hand, Yao Chen's expression was filled with excitement: "This... could this be the legendary Red Crystal Soul-Nurturing Fruit? I never expected that in my lifetime, I would actually see such a thing!"

He had only ever seen it recorded in the ancient texts of the Yao Clan.

It was said to be extremely rare, growing only in places where souls were abundant!

Containing vast amounts of energy, it was a supreme supplement for repairing the soul, something one could only hope to encounter by chance.

Xiao Xuan said: "As long as you do your job well, let alone a mere Red Crystal Soul-Nurturing Fruit, obtaining a Dou Zun or Dou Sheng physical body for you is not a difficult task."

He had discovered this fruit by accident in a place within the Central Plains.

"This Yao Chen will keep the Senior's great kindness in his heart."

Yao Chen swallowed the Red Crystal Soul-Nurturing Fruit and began to refine it, restoring his soul strength!

Time ticked by second by second, and Yao Chen's body, which had been nearly transparent, became increasingly solid during this period.

At the same time, his strength recovered all the way from the Dou Ling level to the peak of the Dou Zong!

Yao Chen had never dreamed that he would recover to this level so easily!

He did not waste words, but immediately followed Xiao Xuan's instructions, took out the Black Demon Cauldron, and began to refine pills.

Xiao Xuan did not stay nearby, but hid in a certain spot, quietly waiting for the fish to take the bait.

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.

A seductive medicinal fragrance wafted from the Black Demon Cauldron.

Magical Beasts within a hundred-mile radius were all drawn in by this scent.

At the same time!

The massive commotion nearby also caught the attention of many surrounding factions!

Among them was a branch of the Soul Hall hidden deep within the Heaven Burial Ravine!

"This aura..."

Deep within the Soul Hall branch, an old man with a sinister face and a skeletal frame suddenly opened his eyes and looked in a certain direction!