Blood Soul Art

Xiao Yan's figure transformed into a streak of silver-gray light, sweeping across the ruined mountains and rushing towards the mountain peak where Yun Yun had departed.

Before he could even unleash the Heavenly Fire Three Profound Transformations, he used his Dou Zong- level speed to its fullest extent and, in the blink of an eye, arrived above the mountain peak, where a quiet and elegant courtyard came into view.

This was where Yun Yun cultivated herself before becoming the sect leader. At this moment, the courtyard gate was open, and the air still carried her elegant fragrance and a faint smell of blood.

Xiao Yan deactivated the Heavenly Fire Three Profound Transformations and silently landed in the courtyard. With a sweep of his soul power, he directly entered the room.

Yun Yun was kneeling beside a soft stone couch, on which lay Yun Shan, his eyes closed and his breath weak.

Her once elegant and dignified face was now bloodless, her tear tracks still wet, her eyes red-rimmed, and her gaze filled with an overwhelming worry and a faint sense of bewilderment.

Hearing the faint sound, Yun Yun suddenly looked up, and her eyes lit up when she saw it was Xiao Yan.

"Xiao Yan!" she whispered, her voice slightly nasal, "Teacher... his breath is so weak, like a candle flickering in the wind..."

She tried to get up, but due to her agitated state of mind and the poor blood circulation caused by kneeling for so long, her legs went weak and her body swayed slightly.

Xiao Yan flashed to her side and firmly supported her arm.

The surface was ice-cold to the touch, clearly indicating that her inner torment far outweighed her physical pain.

He gently pulled her into his arms, and a warm, pure Dou Qi slowly flowed into her body, helping to regulate her disordered breathing.

"Don't be afraid, Senior Yun Shan is not in immediate danger. I used a secret technique to seal his fighting Dou Qi and soul, forcibly cutting off the source of the Soul Hall's corrupting influence and preventing his power from spiraling out of control." Xiao Yan's voice was deep and firm, carrying a reassuring power. "However, this seal cannot be broken for the time being. Once it is broken, it will probably be difficult to suppress him again, and then it will truly be a fight to the death."

Upon hearing this, Yun Yun leaned against his chest, feeling the strong heartbeat of his chest and the warmth it conveyed, and her tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

"Could you tell me what exactly happened?"

After a long silence, Yun Yun spoke.

Xiao Yan sighed softly, hugged her even tighter, gently patted her back, and explained:

"The methods of the Soul Hall are unpredictable and specifically target the soul. Wu Protector's cultivation was already stronger than your teacher's, and he was also scheming. I'm afraid that when he broke through to the Dou Zong, or even earlier, he had already secretly planted the seed."

This is like a malignant tumor, lying dormant until it's detonated by the Soul Hall's secret techniques, instantly twisting the mind and amplifying deep-seated obsessions, fears, and even the dark side. Senior Yun Shan... perhaps had an extremely deep obsession with the future of the sect and his own power, which is why such treacherous people took advantage of his vulnerability."

He paused here, looking at Yun Shan, whose face was contorted in unconsciousness and whose brow occasionally flashed with a wisp of black energy, his eyes grave:

"I have already investigated. In addition to the soul-level erosion mark, an extremely sinister 'Soul Seed' has been planted in his body, continuously emitting an aura of the same origin as Wu Protector. This is probably the key to his ability to be remotely controlled, and also the biggest hidden danger after the seal is broken. To eradicate it, this 'Soul Seed' must be removed and purified along with the soul mark, otherwise the consequences will be endless."

Yun Yun raised her head, her eyes filled with hope and pleading:

"Xiao Yan, please help me, okay? I'll do anything to help my teacher recover..."

Before Yun Yun could finish speaking, Yun Yun Xiao Yan pressed his finger to her lips.

"Don't say things like that. It makes it sound like we're making a deal. You're my woman. If you need my help, I will definitely help you."

Xiao Yan shook his head and said with a serious expression.

He knew that Yun Yun only showed this vulnerable side to him, but he would never let his woman have to sacrifice her dignity for something at such a time.

"Yun'er, trust me." His voice was as steady as a mountain, as if everything was under his control. "The Wu Protector has been sealed by me and cannot cause trouble for the time being. Although this Soul Seed is vicious, it is not incurable. Give me some time, and I will handle everything."

My Fallen Heart Flame is the nemesis of these kinds of insidious soul poisons, but Senior Yun Shan's soul and Dou Qi are both doubly sealed by me at the moment, making him extremely vulnerable. Forcibly burning his 'Soul Seed' with Heavenly Flames could easily damage his Soul Origin, turning him into a complete cripple. Therefore, I will need your protection then.

Therefore, you also need to properly recover your physical condition. In your current state, you are not enough to protect me."

Hearing the confidence in Xiao Yan's calm tone, Yun Yun finally relaxed a little.

"The most urgent task is to stabilize his condition and prevent his injuries from worsening. I will first use the power of a gentle Heavenly Flames, combined with elixirs, to clear his meridians and stabilize his Dou Qi foundation, which has been disrupted by the Soul Seed. This will take time and also requires the cooperation of his remaining will."

Xiao Yan took out several exquisite jade bottles from his Storage Ring, poured out a few pills that exuded rich vitality, fed them to Yun Shan, and used his Dou Qi to help him neutralize the medicinal power.

"I will stay here for the next few days, never leaving your side." Xiao Yan said softly to Yun Yun while focusing intently on controlling the Heavenly Flames and medicinal power. "I have made arrangements for the sect; they will temporarily close the mountain for rest and recuperation. Your injuries have not yet healed, and your mind and spirit have been greatly exhausted, so you also need to rest properly. I'll take care of things here, so you don't need to worry."

As Yun Yun gazed at Xiao Yan's focused and composed profile, and at the blazing flames dancing at his fingertips, the fear and helplessness in her heart were gradually dispelled by the light and heat of the flames.

She leaned gently on his shoulder, feeling the irreplaceable sense of security he provided, and her tense heart finally relaxed.

"Then I'll leave everything to you. I'll recover from my injuries and regain my Dou Qi, and then I'll begin protecting you."

Yun Yun nodded, and after taking another look at Xiao Yan's composed expression, she felt incredibly lucky to have met such an excellent disciple.

Seeing Yun Yun begin to adjust her state, Xiao Yan finished refining the medicinal power for Yun Shan, pondered for a moment, then closed his eyes and focused his mind, beginning to recall some memories in his mind.

Those were memories of the "Blood Soul Art" cultivation method, passed down to him by Hun Li Li when she left.

The only way to solve Yun Shan's problem is to rely on the "Blood Soul Art".

This "Blood Soul Art" is a soul Dou Technique of the Soul Clan, or rather, it's more like a complete set of secret techniques.

Although one needs the bloodline of the Soul Clan to fully unleash this Dou Technique, it doesn't mean that one cannot use it without the bloodline.

It's just that the effect is less effective, and some core techniques that require bloodline power to be used cannot be used.

But Xiao Yan doesn't need such methods for the time being; the methods to remove the Soul Seed and Soul Seal are enough for him.

Although Wu Protector was very strong, possessing a soul body at the Dou Zong level, Xiao Yan was now a master-level figure with one foot in the Seventh-Tier Alchemist realm. With a slight sense, he understood that Wu Protector Wu's Dou Zong strength was due to the enhancement of his soul power after birth, not because he possessed such soul power in his previous life.

Therefore, as long as the right method is found, Xiao Yan can relatively easily resolve the problem within Yun Shan's body.

Well, in order to deal with the Soul Hall, it's time to add the cultivation of the Blood Soul Art to our daily routine.

As Xiao Yan pondered this, his thoughts remained unaffected, and he quickly found what he was looking for.

"Soul Seed Extraction Technique" and "Soul Purifying Guide".

"I see..."

After careful consideration, Xiao Yan understood the underlying principle.

With his spiritual power, achieving those things would not be difficult!

However, just to be on the safe side, he repeatedly went through the details to ensure that nothing went wrong.

Yun Shan is in a very fragile state right now and cannot afford any mistakes.

Time slips away quietly.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, a confident glint flashing in his deep gaze. He had fully understood and mastered the methods of the Soul Hall.

To be honest, it's quite interesting.

He looked at Yun Yun beside him. She was sitting cross-legged, surrounded by a light blue Dou Qi of Dou Qi. Her breathing had become much more stable, and her pale cheeks had regained their color. Clearly, thanks to the timely administration of the pills and Xiao Yan's help in easing her worries, her body had recovered to its best condition with her mind focused.

Sensing Xiao Yan's gaze, Yun Yun immediately opened her beautiful eyes, looking at him with a questioning expression.

"I'm all ready." Xiao Yan's voice was steady and powerful, giving Yun Yun immense confidence. "I'm confident I can completely eradicate what's inside Senior Yun Shan's body without harming his Soul Origin."

A bright light instantly flashed in Yun Yun's eyes:

"Really? That's great! I've almost fully recovered and can start anytime!"

She immediately stood up, her Dou Qi surging, and she had indeed recovered to her best condition.

Xiao Yan nodded, walked to Yun Shan's bedside, and carefully observed his condition.

The blue snake patterns formed by the Snake Sealing Technique were faintly visible on his face, effectively suppressing the fluctuations of his Dou Qi and soul, and also isolating the Soul Seed from the outside world, causing it to lie dormant for the time being.

However, Xiao Yan's powerful soul force could clearly perceive that the dark purple "Soul Seed" deeply embedded in Yun Shan's soul still exuded a cold and evil aura, like a persistent ailment.

"The process requires extremely precise control and cannot be disturbed," Xiao Yan said in a deep voice. "Yun'er, you need to fully activate your Dou Qi barrier to isolate yourself from all external interference. Just in case, it may be necessary for you to transfer some Dou Qi into his body. Dou Qi of the same origin will help stabilize his physical condition."

"I see!"

Yun Yun did not hesitate, her expression solemn.

She formed hand seals, and a surge of powerful azure Dou Qi erupted, quickly forming a thick energy barrier within the room, completely enveloping the three of them and isolating them from all external sounds and energy fluctuations.

She stood beside Xiao Yan, her gaze fixed on Yun Shan, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his gaze becoming extremely focused and solemn.

He extended his right index finger, and a deep, soulful light emanated from the fingertip. This light was not the evil darkness of the Soul Hall, but a pure, radiant glow of the soul.

He began to trace the path of the "Soul Seed Extraction Technique," his fingertips drawing mysterious and complex invisible runes in the air.

These runes are not physical entities, but are composed of pure soul power, simulating the energy rhythm within the Soul Seed.

The rune slowly drifted towards Yun Shan's brow, carefully seeping in.

Xiao Yan's mental energy was highly concentrated, as if he were performing a precise soul surgery.

His senses followed the runes, penetrating deep into the sealed soul's sea of consciousness within the Yun Shan.

The place was shrouded in darkness, with only a dark purple Soul Seed pulsating slightly like a heart, emanating an ominous aura. Countless fine black threads spread out from the Soul Seed, intertwining with the Soul Origin of Yun Shan.

The process of stripping the Soul Seed was somewhat slow because Xiao Yan had to concentrate fully, ensuring the accuracy of the stripping without damaging Yun Shan's Soul Origin, while constantly fighting against the instinctive resistance and backlash from the remaining Soul Seed.

Yun Yun watched in horror. She could see Yun Shan's body trembling slightly, his brows furrowed, and his face flashing with pain at times, while black energy rose from his skin at others.

Time passed by, second by second.

As the light from the runes on Xiao Yan's fingertips shifted, wisps of extremely fine, almost transparent blackish-purple energy began to be slowly drawn out from between Yun Shan's eyebrows.

The moment these energies left Yun Shan's body, they were instantly enveloped and burned away by the Fallen Heart Flame leaping from Xiao Yan's fingertips.

An hour later, the Soul Seed was completely stripped away.

"Peeling complete!"

Xiao Yan felt a slight sense of relief, but he dared not be careless in the slightest.

"Next, Soul Purifying Guide!"

The nature of the soul light at his fingertips suddenly changed, transforming from deep and dark to a warm and pure white-gold color.

This is the power of the "Soul Purifying Guide".

This pure soul power, like warm spring water, gently flowed into Yun Shan's sea of consciousness, covering that Soul Seal.

Hiss hiss hiss...

The faint burning sound seemed to resonate on the level of the soul.

The pure soul power, combined with the invisible and intangible flame of the Fallen Heart Flame that Xiao Yan summoned with his thoughts, precisely burned the Soul Seal.

Purified by the platinum light and the invisible Heart Fire, the Soul Seal melted away as quickly as ice and snow under the sun, eventually turning into nothingness.

When the last bit of filth was removed, the original, somewhat murky and dim Soul Origin of Yun Shan, like a pearl wiped clean of dust, once again radiated a warm and stable light.

The oppressive, chilling, and evil aura that had been lurking in his soul's sea of consciousness vanished completely.

Xiao Yan slowly withdrew his finger, let out a long sigh of relief, and finally showed a tired but gratified smile on his face.

He carefully retrieved the soul power that had invaded Yun Shan's body and the trace of the Fallen Heart Flame.

"It worked?"

Yun Yun's voice trembled slightly, tinged with an incredulous surprise.

"Hmm." Xiao Yan nodded. "The Soul Seed and Soul Seal have been completely eradicated, and there are no further hidden dangers. Senior Yun Shan's Soul Origin was slightly damaged due to the presence of the Soul Seed and Soul Seal, but his foundation is intact. He only needs to rest and recuperate to recover. As for the seal on his Dou Qi and soul..."

Xiao Yan walked to Yun Shan's side, pointed his finger at his forehead, and a blue flame flashed on it.

The "Snake Sealing Technique" runes that sealed Dou Qi moved out like living things, disappeared into Xiao Yan's palm, and the soul power that sealed his soul was also withdrawn by Xiao Yan.

The next moment, a faint but steady aura of a Dou Zong expert slowly revived from Yun Shan's body.

"The seal has been lifted, but the injuries will require some time to recover; I estimate I'll need to stay in bed for a few more days."

Xiao Yan probed the area with his soul power and then explained to Yun Yun.

Yun Yun's tense nerves completely relaxed at this moment, and a huge wave of joy washed over her.

She could no longer hold back and suddenly threw herself into Xiao Yan, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

"Xiao Yan... thank you... thank you so much..."

"Why are you being so polite with me? Call me 'husband' and let me hear it."

Xiao Yan smiled and teased softly.

"Husband... my husband!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Yun's pretty face flushed slightly, but she still called out softly.

"Ha ha!"

Xiao Yan smiled upon hearing this and hugged the beauty in his arms even tighter.