Framing and Slander (Thanks to Yisi & You Shang for the 100 book coins tip)

"Accountability? You are hardly worthy!"

Xiao Xuan said indifferently.

Old Ghost Zhaixing was stunned for a moment.

Immediately, he shook his head.

"Heh, it seems that after not making a move for many years, the name of Old Ghost Zhaixing has lost some of its resonance!"

Having said that, a pale palm suddenly thrust out from his sleeve!

Whoosh...

Vast black mist surged wildly, instantly condensing into a black mist palm print over ten zhang in size.

It slammed fiercely toward Xiao Xuan!

"Petty tricks, daring to show off before an expert!"

Xiao Xuan flicked his sleeve, and a long sword condensed from soul power tore through the void, streaking toward that black mist palm print!

Bang!

The black mist palm print was shattered!

The long sword, carrying an unstoppable momentum, pierced toward Old Ghost Zhaixing!

"Your strength is not weak indeed. Since that is the case, I shall have to get serious!" Old Ghost Zhaixing spread his palm, his five fingers trembling violently.

Five strands of viscous black mist streaked from his fingertips, and amidst a rattling sound, the black mist condensed into black chains.

Chi!!

The black chains coiled in mid-air, then pierced through the void, winding toward Xiao Xuan!

"Break!"

Xiao Xuan kept his left hand behind his back and gently clenched his right hand!

Bang!

Crack!

Crack!

The five black chains suddenly stalled, and then, they snapped in unison!

"How is this possible!"

Old Ghost Zhaixing's pupils constricted!

He realized too late.

"You... you are not a four-star Dou Zun! Who exactly are you?! Why... why are you interfering in the affairs of our Soul Hall?!"

Xiao Xuan stood with his hands behind his back.

He said indifferently:

"Does the Ancient Clan need to explain its actions to you?!"

"Ancient Clan?! You are... you are a member of the Ancient Clan?"

"What Ancient Clan? I do not know what you are talking about!"

Xiao Xuan feigned a look of confusion, immediately acting as if he had never said such a thing.

Old Ghost Zhaixing sneered, raised his hand to tear open the void, and darted inside.

"I heard you clearly. Just wait, I will report this truthfully to the Hall Master!"

"You want to leave?"

Xiao Xuan let out a cold snort, deliberately moving half a beat slow.

He slammed a palm onto Old Ghost Zhaixing's back.

Pfft!

Old Ghost Zhaixing spat out a mouthful of blood and waved his hands!

Over a dozen chains, like venomous snakes, carried sharp gusts of wind as they attacked Xiao Xuan.

They were meant to buy him a sliver of a chance to escape!

Bang!

Bang!

Crack!

Crack!

The sound of chains breaking rang out incessantly.

Watching the spatial rift seal shut, Old Ghost Zhaixing finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"Ancient Clan! Damn you, Ancient Clan, you just wait for this old man!!"

Watching Old Ghost Zhaixing flee, Xiao Xuan also breathed a sigh of relief.

Damn it, I almost accidentally killed this piece of trash!

"Senior, didn't you have a very good relationship with the Ancient Clan back in the day? Why did you do that?!"

Yao Chen was somewhat confused.

Xiao Xuan glanced at Yao Chen: "Some things are not as they appear to you, and besides, don't ask about things you shouldn't!"

Yao Chen wisely kept his mouth shut.

Xiao Xuan reached out and beckoned!

The Grade 8 medicinal pill that had been refined earlier and was still flying wildly in the sky appeared in his hand!

Gulp!

Xiao Xuan swallowed the pill in one go.

He began refining it once more!

Ding, detected host has consumed a Grade 8 medicinal pill, physical body recovery progress +0.9%, remaining progress 99.06%

Xiao Xuan felt this speed was too slow!

He wanted to go to the Tagor Desert, find the Green Lotus Core Flame, and try swallowing that!

To see how much progress it would grant!

If that still didn't work, he would truly have to consider whether to find a suitable physical body to possess first, or refine a vessel to make do with for the time being.

Afterward, he destroyed this Soul Hall branch.

Xiao Xuan took Yao Chen back to the Jia Ma Empire.

Meanwhile.

Severely injured, Old Ghost Zhaixing had no time to heal and fled back to the Central Plains without a moment's rest!

He arrived at a Soul Hall branch in the Central Plains, located in a rather notorious danger zone in the Northwest Region of the Central Plains.

The Dead Soul Mountain Range!

"Who goes there?!"

"It's... it's me, Old Ghost Zhaixing, cough cough... pfft..."

Old Ghost Zhaixing coughed up a pool of blood.

"Venerable Zhaixing!"

Several figures emerged from the black mist, supporting Old Ghost Zhaixing as they quickly returned to the valley.

At the same time, Protector Liu immediately notified the Venerables!

Soon, two Venerables, one dressed in black and one in white, arrived in the great hall.

Seeing the miserable state of Old Ghost Zhaixing, the corner of the black-clad Venerable's mouth twitched.

"Old Ghost! You... how did you end up like this?!"

Old Ghost Zhaixing shook his head with a bitter smile.

His entire body felt as if his bones had fallen apart; he had only survived until now by relying on the sheer willpower of revenge.

"Don't speak, take this medicine."

The white-clad Heavenly Venerable immediately produced a medicinal pill and shoved it into Old Ghost Zhaixing's mouth.

At the same time, he used his Dou Qi to assist in his healing.

As the pill entered his system, Old Ghost Zhaixing's complexion gradually began to improve.

Two and a half hours later.

Feeling much better, Old Ghost Zhaixing finally spoke:

"Black and White Heavenly Venerables, I discovered the trail of Venerable Yao, Yao Chen, in the Tianxin Empire of the Northwest Continent!"

"After decades, we finally have news of this fellow!"

The Black Heavenly Venerable narrowed his eyes.

The White Heavenly Venerable asked: "Were you injured by him as well?"

Old Ghost Zhaixing shook his head, his eyes revealing a flicker of unwilling hatred!

"No, my injuries were inflicted by someone from the Ancient Clan!"

"What?! The Ancient Clan?!"

The Black and White Heavenly Venerables exchanged a glance, seemingly unable to believe it.

They both knew that the Soul Hall was backed by the Hun Clan.

The relationship between the Hun Clan and the Ancient Clan was like fire and water.

Over these years, they had been in constant friction over various interests!

Yet, how could the Ancient Clan send someone to a barren place like the Northwest Continent?

Old Ghost Zhaixing gritted his teeth and said, "Hmph! That fellow was quick-tongued for a moment and let it slip, and I happened to overhear it!"

"This... could it be someone else impersonating them?"

The Black Heavenly Venerable frowned.

The White Heavenly Venerable still felt it was unlikely to be the Ancient Clan.

Old Ghost Zhaixing shook his head, insisting, "There is absolutely no mistake. That fellow tried to deny it afterward, but the trace of panic in his eyes could never escape my sight!"

The Black and White Heavenly Venerables looked at each other.

They were starting to believe it!

For years, the Soul Hall had been searching for the whereabouts of Yao Chen!

As their mortal enemies, it was only natural for the Ancient Clan to possess some information and want to snatch him away from the Soul Hall.

Furthermore, the target was the renowned Venerable Yao of the Dou Qi Continent!

Although the Ancient Clan might look down on his strength, his alchemy skills were exactly what they lacked!

Perhaps the Ancient Clan knew the Soul Hall was searching for him and had also discovered a branch hall of the Soul Hall in the Northwest Continent.

Sending someone there was not only a way to give them a warning but also a means to show off before the Soul Hall!

The White Heavenly Venerable said in a deep voice, "Old Black, you wait here. I must take Old Ghost Zhaixing to report this information to the Ninth Heavenly Venerable!"

"Very well!"

The White Heavenly Venerable brought Old Ghost Zhaixing to the depths of this branch hall.

The two stood outside a stone door.

The White Heavenly Venerable bowed and said:

"Reporting to Lord Ninth Heavenly Venerable, I have an urgent matter to relay."

A cold, emotionless voice echoed throughout the area.

Then, the space in front of the stone door rapidly tore open, and a blue-clad figure stepped out slowly!

"What is it?"

The White Heavenly Venerable stepped forward:

"Lord Ninth Heavenly Venerable, this man is Old Ghost Zhaixing of our Soul Hall. Not long ago, he discovered Yao Chen in the Northwest Continent and prepared to bring him back, but he was ambushed and injured by someone from the Ancient Clan."

The Ninth Heavenly Venerable's light blue eyebrows immediately furrowed.