Soul Hall

"Old man, don't forget about the Sun Moon Empire. Their Level 9 stationary soul cannon can threaten even a Super Douluo."

"A Level 9 stationary soul cannon might not mean much to a powerhouse of your caliber," Xiao Jinchen said slowly, toying with a wisp of Emperor Flame at his fingertips, "but most of the sect members are still just ordinary soul masters."

"Bullshit!" Du Busi roared. "My Body Sect disciples rely on the soul power they've cultivated step by step with their own two feet! And now you want to run off and establish another sect, specifically to mess with that scrap metal? If word gets out, where am I supposed to hide my face?"

Xiao Jinchen was truly speechless. He had wasted so much breath, yet the man hadn't taken in a single word.

Du Busi glared at Xiao Jinchen and said, "Do you think I've grown so old that you can just change the sect's rules whenever you please?"

However, catching a glimpse of the thin, frail figures of the low-level disciples patrolling outside the window, Du Busi's throat tightened. Those children hadn't even reached the Soul Emperor level; if the Sun Moon Empire launched a war, and if they were truly ravaged by soul cannons...

"Old man," Xiao Jinchen sighed helplessly, "I'm just going out to establish a sect, not defecting from the Body Sect. I don't believe you're unaware of the development trends in soul guidance devices. By establishing a sect outside, I can provide the Body Sect with intelligence and medicinal pills. It's mutual development."

"How about this, old man? I promise that I will only develop soul guidance devices within my own sect; I will never let Body Sect disciples learn them," Xiao Jinchen added hurriedly.

Getting the Body Sect to accept soul guidance devices immediately was likely impossible. Even if Du Busi agreed, the disciples would probably still be resistant. It had to be a slow process.

"Hmph!"

Du Busi remained silent for a long time after hearing this, finally letting out a grumpy huff. "Build it! If you want to build it, then go ahead! Do it yourself; don't expect the sect to help you. Let me see what kind of tricks you can pull off with this so-called sect of yours."

Xiao Jinchen was about to speak, but Du Busi raised a hand to cut him off.

"Get lost and get to work! Don't be an eyesore here!" Du Busi snapped. With that, he swept up the thousands of jade bottles on the table and left the assembly hall with the other elders.

"Little Chen, you were impulsive," Jin Peng said, walking to Xiao Jinchen's side and patting his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Elder Jin. I will always be a disciple of the Body Sect," Xiao Jinchen laughed.

Jin Peng wanted to say more, but seeing the firm look in Xiao Jinchen's eyes, he could only sigh helplessly. "Then, have you thought of a name for your sect?"

"This world is centered on souls—soul masters, soul beasts, soul power, and soul guidance devices all carry the word 'soul'."

"So, my sect shall be called..." Xiao Jinchen's lips curled into a playful arc, "...Soul Hall."

"Soul Hall?" Jin Peng muttered, his brows furrowing slightly. "Why does that name feel a bit strange... it carries a sense of evil."

"Heh heh heh! Elder Jin, isn't the style of our Body Sect both righteous and evil? This name is very fitting." Xiao Jinchen deliberately lowered his voice and let out a strange cackle.

"Soul Hall..." The Ice Empress, standing beside Xiao Jinchen, repeated the name in a low voice. Her beautiful eyes flickered as if she were savoring its hidden meaning.

"How about it, Bing'er? Is it a good name?" Xiao Jinchen turned his head and asked with a smile.

"I also feel it's a bit strange," the Ice Empress said, frowning slightly. "It doesn't sound like a sect; it sounds more like an evil organization dedicated to collecting souls."

"Oh?" Xiao Jinchen asked, puzzled. "Wait, Bing'er, why would you think that?"

The Ice Empress shook her head. "I don't know. I just feel like that's exactly what your sect should be doing."

Xiao Jinchen was astonished. He looked at the stunning face before him and sighed inwardly, A woman's intuition is truly accurate—even to an absurd degree.

"Elder Jin, I need to make preparations for the founding of the new sect, so we'll be taking our leave." With those words, Xiao Jinchen took the Ice Empress and left the Body Sect's assembly hall.

"We really are old. It's the youngsters' world now," Jin Peng said, watching Xiao Jinchen depart.

"Hmph! Don't be surprised if that brat trips and comes crawling back to us," Du Busi said, appearing beside Jin Peng out of nowhere.

"Sect Master, do we really not need to help him?" Jin Peng asked. "Little Chen doesn't seem to have much money; he might have some trouble founding a sect."

"Let him be," Du Busi said grumpily. "It'll do him good to have his pride bruised a little."

"A-Chen, what are we doing now?" the Ice Empress asked as they walked.

"Founding a sect requires money, and we don't have any," Xiao Jinchen said with a smile. "We're going to borrow some."

"Borrow money? Where are we going to borrow it?" the Ice Empress asked curiously.

Xiao Jinchen's lips curled upward as he looked toward the direction of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect and said slowly, "To the richest sect, of course."

Nine Treasures City, located within the Heaven Soul Empire, is truly one of the empire's economic hubs.

While nominally belonging to the empire, the city is in fact entirely controlled by the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect.

High-rises stand tall within the city, and the wide streets are lined with dense rows of shops. Countless soul-guided neon signs shimmer with brilliant colors at night, rivaling the prosperity of the Sun Moon Empire's Ming Capital.

As a symbol of wealth, the Nine Treasures Pavilion stands proudly at the heart of the city, gathering the rarest treasures of the Heaven Soul Empire and serving as the center for soul guidance device trading.

The headquarters of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect is located right in the center of Nine Treasures City.

However, in the midst of this prosperity, a terrifying pressure of soul power suddenly descended upon the entire city.

In an instant, the myriad of shimmering soul-guided signs flickered and died.

The entire city fell into a deathly silence. Only the high-level defensive soul guidance devices deep within the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect erupted with brilliant golden light, forming a massive barrier that struggled to withstand the terrifying pressure, desperately protecting the sect's core territory.

"A-Chen, this is clearly robbery! You call this borrowing?" The Ice Empress hovered above the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, looking annoyed.

"Heh heh, Bing'er, I'll be counting on you in a moment," Xiao Jinchen said, hovering beside her with a smile.

Just as the barrier began to sway and crumble, a furious roar erupted from deep within the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect:

"What madman dares to bully my Nine Treasures Glazed Sect as if there were no one here!"

Before the words had even faded, four figures streaked out like meteors, hovering before Xiao Jinchen and his companion.

There were three men and one woman; judging by their auras, they appeared to be three Super Douluo and one Soul Saint.

"A... a Limit Douluo!" When the middle-aged woman leading them felt the terrifying aura emanating from the Ice Empress, she shrieked in instant terror.