At the same time, above the Misty Cloud Sect, ten Dou Zong experts hid in the void.
Their auras were completely concealed, like hunters lurking in the darkness.
"We've finished investigating. This Misty Cloud Sect is the most suitable target."
A Dou Zong expert from the Soul Hall spoke in a low voice, a trace of coldness in his words.
"That Dou Emperor from the Ancient Clan once visited the Xiao Clan."
"The current sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect has a disciple who once had dealings with someone from the Xiao Clan."
Another Dou Zong added.
"Besides, this little sect is actually the overlord of the Jia Ma Empire."
"In other words, as long as we take control of the Misty Cloud Sect, we can easily keep an eye on the Ancient Clan."
A ruthless glint flashed in the eyes of the Dou Zong at their head as he spoke coldly.
"Ke ke ke ke ke! That female sect master is quite pretty. Perhaps I could..."
A Dou Zong let out an evil cackle, greed showing on his face.
Just like that, in a few brief words, they mercilessly decided the Misty Cloud Sect's fate...
On this day, sunlight filtered through the mottled leaves, scattering in specks along Xiao Yan's path.
He hurried along at a brisk pace and, before he knew it, had arrived near the Misty Cloud Sect.
By now, he was a Three-Star Dou Shi, and an air of confidence radiated from him.
After all, in just a few short months, he had successfully advanced from Dou Zhe to Dou Shi.
Such astonishing cultivation speed only made him more certain that he had exceptional talent.
Well... fortuitous encounters were just the icing on the cake. In the end, it was my extraordinary talent that really mattered!
"Teacher, with my cultivation speed, do you think I have a chance of catching up to him?"
Xiao Yan grinned at Yao Lao beside him.
In his heart, his own progress was already astonishing. Perhaps one day, he really could surpass the person who had always remained beyond his reach.
Yao Lao shook his head with an amused smile. "Boy, don't let your ambitions reach the heavens. Forget that kid—you can't even catch up to the maid by his side right now..."
There was a trace of helplessness in his voice.
Over the past few months, they had indeed come across quite a few fortuitous encounters.
In a deep cave somewhere in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, they had luckily obtained the Purple Cloud Wings, greatly increasing Xiao Yan's speed.
They had also acquired a Purifying Lotus Demonic Flame Fragment Map. Though it was only a fragment, the clues to a Heavenly Flame it contained were quite valuable.
Even so, they were still worlds apart from that person.
That person's growth was simply too astonishing—so astonishing that even Yao Lao, once the continent's strongest alchemist, had never heard of anything like it.
"That maid? You mean Xiao Yi Xian?"
Xiao Yan furrowed his brow slightly, Xiao Yi Xian's image appearing in his mind. In his impression, she had always been a frail woman.
"Isn't she only a Dou Zhe? Even if she cultivates quickly, she shouldn't be able to outpace me..."
Xiao Yan was still a little unconvinced. Besides, he often saw Xiao Yi Xian popping pills.
There was one thing Xiao Yan hadn't said aloud: every time Xiao Yi Xian popped pills, her face turned deathly pale and she looked extremely weak. She seemed... like someone who was sickly and frail, didn't she?
So he thought that by now, he should have surpassed her.
"You little brat... Today, your teacher will teach you one thing: don't judge people by their appearance..."
Yao Lao covered his forehead helplessly, as if he couldn't believe his disciple could be so dense about this.
"What you see is merely the act she puts on for people like you who don't know any better..."
Yao Lao patiently explained, hoping Xiao Yan would understand.
"Do you think someone who can stay by that young man's side could be ordinary?" Yao Lao continued, guiding Xiao Yan to think it through.
"If I'm not mistaken, that girl is the legendary Woeful Poison Body..."
After refining pills for Xiao Yi Xian so many times, Yao Lao had managed to guess as much through his extensive experience and keen insight.
"Woeful Poison Body? What kind of constitution is that?"
Xiao Yan scratched his head, looking utterly confused.
He was hearing of such a special constitution for the first time.
"It's a constitution that allows someone to advance rapidly just by absorbing poisons..."
Yao Lao explained slowly.
"When we left, she was already a Dou Ling. A few months have passed since then, so she should be a Dou Wang by now."
Yao Lao sighed, silently marveling at the thought.
Of course, there was one thing he didn't say aloud: the Woeful Poison Body could erupt, and if it did, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Yet that young man had somehow found a way to resolve it.
So, once the Woeful Poison Body no longer posed the risk of an eruption, its cultivation speed would be incredibly fast. Xiao Yan really couldn't catch up to her anytime soon.
"What?! You've got to be kidding me! So after all that cultivation, I'm still the weakest one!"
Xiao Yan's wail rang across the sky. He felt as if his Dao heart had shattered in an instant.
He had thought his progress was already immense, but he hadn't expected it to still amount to so little compared with others.
Yao Lao glanced at him. "All right, we're in the Misty Cloud Sect's territory. Let's go to a nearby town and refine some pills, then continue on our way..."
As he spoke, Yao Lao looked up at the sky once more.
For some reason, a strong sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.
Some kind of danger seemed to be lurking in this region. They'd be better off leaving as soon as possible.
At the same time, in the towering Misty Cloud Sect, whose peaks reached into the clouds and were wreathed in mist,
all was peaceful and quiet when suddenly, a strange ripple spread through the space above.
Ten dark figures appeared in an instant like ghosts, brazenly hovering over the Misty Cloud Sect.
A sinister aura emanated from the ten newcomers. At their head stood a figure in a black robe.
The robe billowed fiercely in the wind, as if proclaiming their ill intentions.
Just as they were about to barge into the Misty Cloud Sect without a care, the black-robed man at their head suddenly narrowed his eyes, as if he had sensed something.
"Oh? A formation?"
He couldn't help letting out a soft exclamation, his voice echoing through the silent sky.
Then the corners of his mouth lifted into a scornful sneer.
"I didn't expect to find a formation in such a remote place."
In his mind, the Misty Cloud Sect's location was nothing but a far-flung corner of the world. This formation was surely nothing to fear.
He instinctively assumed it was a crumbling relic left over from ancient times, not worth their attention.
"I planned to sneak in quietly, but it looks like we'll have to force our way in."
The speaker stood steadily in the void, his tall, burly frame like a towering mountain.
The aura of a Nine-Star Dou Zong surged from him, so powerful that the air around him seemed to buckle beneath its weight.
It gave off a buzzing sound, as if announcing their strength to the entire Misty Cloud Sect.
"Move quickly..."
A Soul Protector stepped forward and gave a grave warning.
He knew that although the Soul Hall was powerful, making too much of a commotion at the Misty Cloud Sect might alert the Ancient Clan, and that would spell trouble.
The Ancient Clan had deep foundations. Even the Soul Hall was unwilling to confront them directly...