Soul Hall Protector

"Here, this is what you asked us to investigate."

Su Qian smiled.

"I really don't know how you learned all this, even about the Ancient Eight Clans."

Su Qian wore a smile, but inwardly he was certain that the Misty Cloud Sect was just one of Yun Zimo's many aliases. There was surely a much greater power behind him. That was the fundamental reason Su Qian had resolved to win Yun Zimo over!

"According to the information we received earlier, they'd always been over on the Southwest Continent. I don't know what brought them to the Northwest Continent recently, but as it happens, both Protectors are still active in the empires near the Black-Corner Region!"

It was all far too much of a coincidence. Su Qian suspected they were hatching some huge scheme, though he couldn't yet figure out what it was.

"Soul Hall Western Branch Earth-Grade Protector, codename Wu. He entered the Jia Ma Empire half a month ago!"

Yun Zimo's expression grew grave. What was bound to come had finally arrived!

"So it's that wild duck, Wu Ying."

Seeing Yun Zimo's grave expression, Su Qian glanced at the report and spoke dismissively.

"W-wild duck?"

Yun Zimo stared blankly. H-how had a Soul Hall Earth-Grade Protector, a dignified seven-star Dou Zong, become a wild duck?

"The Northwest Continent lies at the far western edge of the Dou Qi Continent. It's the second most impoverished region, surpassed only by the north. And with the Dark Night Clan active there, neither large merchant caravans nor powerful forces from the Central Plains will establish branches in the area," Su Qian explained slowly.

"You know that Soul Hall is spread across the continent."

"But the western region is so remote that even Soul Hall, which takes all comers, looks down on it. So they have only one branch in our Northwest Continent, with just three Protectors—the Heaven, Earth, and Human ranks—and a handful of Soul Envoys. They haven't even appointed a single Soul Hall Elder..."

"Ah? It's that shabby..."

"Exactly. Shabby."

Su Qian nodded in agreement.

"After all, the Soul Hall branches I learned about when I was in the Central Plains all had a Soul Hall Elder in charge from the start, with a whole host of Protectors under them."

"As for this one in the Northwest, it's called a branch, but it's really just an office, a transit station. The real authority lies with the Underworld City Branch in the Western Region of the Central Plains!"

"Nether City... the Central Plains!"

Su Qian nodded to himself. At last, this kid had realized the Central Plains existed.

"The Central Plains is where the geniuses gather. It's where you should shine!"

Su Qian smiled, stroking his beard.

"So you don't need to worry about a nobody like Wu Ying."

"But it's not as if I can just go to the Central Plains..."

Thinking of that place, where Dou Emperors were common as dogs, Yun Zimo sighed softly. Until he reached the Dou Zong level, he wouldn't even be qualified to travel the world!

"I can give you a letter of recommendation to Jia Nan Academy. You can choose whichever Central Plains faction you like to join!"

Su Qian, who'd been waiting for him to say that, immediately produced a letter bearing an official seal. It was obvious he'd prepared it long ago!

"First Elder, does this mean I'm a student at Jia Nan Academy now?"

Yun Zimo was taken aback, then the corners of his mouth lifted as he waved the recommendation letter in his hand.

Old fox! Yun Zimo smiled faintly. So he wanted Yun Zimo to fight for Jia Nan Academy. Honestly...

Su Qian, however, didn't so much as blush. He simply lifted his teacup. Yun Zimo had already accepted the letter, so he could say whatever he liked.

"Do you think Soul Hall will come after us if we subdue Wu Ying?"

Yun Zimo suddenly asked.

"Pfft!"

The tea Su Qian had just sipped sprayed out of his mouth. Seeing Yun Zimo's serious, thoughtful expression, he shouted,

"Do you know who stands behind Jia Nan Academy? Do you know who stands behind Soul Hall?"

"You'd be starting a war between the Lei Clan and the Soul Clan!"

Su Qian was terrified by Yun Zimo's audacity. Subdue a Soul Hall Protector? He really dared to think about it!

Before the Dean had gone wandering, he'd specifically instructed them to avoid dealing with Soul Hall as much as possible, so long as Soul Hall didn't target Jia Nan Academy. But this kid was actually thinking of capturing one of their Protectors!

"Even if Wu Ying is a shoddy, hastily manufactured Dou Zong, he's still a Dou Zong raised by Soul Hall. His strength isn't what matters. What matters is that he belongs to Soul Hall!"

"You know what the Soul Clan does best. Why do you think they dare to gather souls across the continent without restraint? Because Soul Hall—and the Soul Clan—stand behind them!"

Su Qian tried to reason with him. Subduing Wu Ying wouldn't be difficult. The hard part came afterward.

How would they deal with Soul Hall? Besides, every moderately powerful faction on this continent knew whose property Jia Nan Academy was. If someone from Jia Nan Academy made a move, it could easily give people the impression that the Lei Clan wanted to start a war.

"What if I did it myself—I mean, without dragging Jia Nan Academy into it—and killed Wu Ying? Would that cause trouble?"

Yun Zimo asked tentatively.

"You think the Soul Tablet is just for show?"

Su Qian replied sourly.

"You know what the Soul Clan is best at. If you dare kill him, before long an even stronger Soul Hall Protector will arrive in the Jia Ma Empire. It's just some minor empire. Soul Hall wipes out who knows how many like it every day!"

"So I can't kill him, and I can't capture him. Am I supposed to let that bastard run rampant in my home?!"

Yun Zimo's face darkened as he crushed the teacup in his hand. Just because of Soul Hall, did he have to let Wu Ying wreak havoc in the Jia Ma Empire?!

Su Qian sighed but didn't argue. That was how the Dou Qi Continent worked: the strong could do whatever they wanted. Unhappy? No matter how unhappy you were, you could only grit your teeth and bear it...

"Unless you grow strong enough to destroy this Soul Hall—or even the Soul Clan—then to them, the Misty Cloud Sect is nothing but an ant..."

Su Qian spoke softly of those forbidden matters. He didn't want Yun Zimo to be bound too tightly to his sect. Pursuing greater strength for oneself was the right path on the Dou Qi Continent!

"Didn't you spend your whole life working for Jia Nan Academy?"

Yun Zimo turned to look at Su Qian.

"Because they can't afford to offend us. Not yet!"

At that, Su Qian could only sigh before slowly saying those words.

"Right. They can't afford to offend us..."

Yun Zimo gave a self-mocking smile, bitterness welling up inside him. The Misty Cloud Sect was fated to be the cannon fodder Soul Hall had chosen, while Jia Nan Academy never had been...

"I'm sorry, First Elder."

He gently pushed the recommendation letter back toward Su Qian, his expression relaxed.

"My sect made me who I am and raised me. I can't turn my back on its kindness or the bond I share with it. Since this can't be avoided, at least I've fought back!"

Yun Zimo bowed deeply, then turned and left, leaving Su Qian staring blankly at the gold-embossed recommendation letter. After a long while, he sighed.

Why did he have to be so foolish...

"Steady your mind!"

Yun Zimo shouted as his fingers jabbed out repeatedly, stimulating the hidden Dou Qi in the major acupoints within Ren Xia's body. Before long, Ren Xia's aura surged, and a pair of fiery Dou Qi wings took shape behind him!

"Thank you, Commander!"

After stabilizing his realm, Ren Xia bowed gratefully, but Yun Zimo held him up with one hand.

"It's enough that you've reached Dou Wang. You'll have to devote yourself to the affairs of Xia Lan from now on. I haven't exactly been a very capable commander."

Ren Xia was overwhelmed by the honor. Before he could say anything, Yun Zimo turned to instruct another Dou Ling.

"Thanks to you, you told me where Fan Lao and the other three were ahead of time. Otherwise, I couldn't have brought in an elder from Jia Nan Academy to help."

Yun Zimo looked at the leader of Zero. He was the very inside man Fan Lao had "placed great hopes" in. What Fan Lao hadn't realized was that Zero had always been Xia Lan. They'd never changed...

"Zero walks in darkness. You must be even more careful when selecting its members. Never relax your standards: better too few than the wrong ones!"

Yun Zimo said solemnly.

"Rest assured, Grand Commander. Zero will never betray you!"

Zero dropped to one knee and declared fervently!

"From this day on, you're the Grand Commander of Xia Lan!"

Yun Zimo handed Ren Xia a neatly folded robe and bamboo hat. He laid a long, ink-black sword over them. The blue-and-white Xia Lan Seal was clearly stamped on the scabbard, glimmering faintly!

"Grand Commander! You..."

Yun Zimo shook his head, and the rest of Ren Xia's words died on his lips.

"How will I find you from now on?!"

Watching Yun Zimo's retreating figure, Ren Xia suddenly shouted, just as he had when Yun Zimo first left all those years ago. But this time, Yun Zimo raised a hand, and his warm voice reached Ren Xia's ears.

"The Jia Ma Empire. Yun Zimo of the Misty Cloud Sect!"