Perfected Late Nine-Star Dou Saint, Emperor Realm Soul

In the Ancient Clan's secret chamber, five days later,

Lin Yang had recovered from his injuries and prepared to begin devouring the Void Swallowing Flame.

As he had said before, devouring the Void Swallowing Flame was dangerous. Its soul had reached the Emperor Realm, and if Lin Yang was careless, he could very well suffer a backlash and be possessed by it.

However, Lin Yang had already figured out how to devour it.

Since the Void Swallowing Flame possessed an Emperor Realm soul, he would join forces with Gu Yuan to strip its soul away.

The process might be somewhat complicated, but it would only take a little more effort.

Then, with the Ancient Clan's Three Immortals and the Black Submerged King, Gu Lie, assisting them, he and Gu Yuan would use an array to suppress the Void Swallowing Flame's soul before slowly devouring it with the Soul Clan's secret technique, Nine Forests Hundred Soul Devouring.

Once he devoured the Void Swallowing Flame's soul, Lin Yang would basically break through to the Emperor Realm soul level.

Then he would devour the Void Swallowing Flame itself. Afterward, Lin Yang estimated that he would reach perfected late Nine-Star Dou Saint, just one step away from the peak of Nine-Star.

Once he found and devoured the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, he would likely break through directly to the Nine-Star peak.

Lin Yang walked out of the secret chamber and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, then went to wait for Gu Yuan in the main hall.

Gu Yuan was also recovering from his injuries and would presumably be leaving seclusion soon.

Ancient Clan main hall.

Lin Yang sat to one side of the main table while Gu Lie accompanied him. The two drank spirit tea and discussed Xiao Yan's engagement to Xun'er, which would take place in a little over half a month.

Lin Yang's strength was increasing by the day, and Gu Lie was even more anxious than Gu Yuan to obtain the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade.

Gu Lie became deeply engrossed in the conversation, and Lin Yang naturally understood the meaning behind his words.

However, he did not explain much, merely spoke simply about Xiao Yan's engagement.

Before long, Gu Yuan flashed over from the secret chamber.

Lin Yang and Gu Lie hurriedly rose to their feet. "Clan Chief Gu, we've been waiting for you," Lin Yang said.

Gu Yuan nodded slightly. "Lin Yang, you're preparing to devour the Void Swallowing Flame, right? What do you need me to do?"

"I plan to strip out the Void Swallowing Flame's soul, suppress it with an array, then use the Soul Clan's secret technique, Nine Forests Hundred Soul Devouring, to devour its Emperor Realm soul. After that, I'll devour the Void Swallowing Flame itself. That way, there will basically be no risk," Lin Yang explained.

"That is indeed safer. However, completely stripping away the Void Swallowing Flame's Emperor Realm soul will take some effort. How about this, Lin Yang? The Three Immortals and I will handle stripping out its soul, while you and Gu Lie go negotiate with the other ancient clans for their Ancient Emperor Jade," Gu Yuan said.

"Alright, then I'll trouble Clan Chief Gu," Lin Yang said with cupped fists.

"It's nothing. Then it's settled. I'll go prepare bargaining chips for the negotiations first. Gu Lie, discuss how to approach the Ancient Emperor Jade trade with Lin Yang. Don't anger them the moment you arrive," Gu Yuan said with a wave of his hand.

"Understood."

Ten days later.

After ten days without rest, Gu Yuan and the Ancient Clan's Three Immortals finally completely stripped away the Void Swallowing Flame's Emperor Realm soul and sealed it within a soul-nurturing pearl.

On Lin Yang's side, he and Gu Lie also successfully obtained the Ancient Emperor Jade from the Stone Clan, Medicine Clan, and Spirit Clan.

However, they failed to obtain the Thunder Clan's jade. Besides the iron puppet and the Primordial Body Tempering Art that Lin Yang offered, Lei Ying had set another condition.

He demanded three drops of Gu Yuan's essence blood.

Gu Yuan did not have much essence blood left in reserve. Having only just recovered from his injuries, how could he dare force out three drops of essence blood?

Thus, they could only give up for now.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the following morning.

After Gu Yuan and the Ancient Clan's Three Immortals rested and adjusted their breathing for a day,

Gu Yuan brought Gu Lie and the Three Immortals into the secret chamber to help Lin Yang suppress the Void Swallowing Flame's soul.

Inside the array,

the Void Swallowing Flame's soul was completely suppressed. With Gu Yuan controlling the array and Gu Lie and the Three Immortals assisting, the Void Swallowing Flame could not resist in the slightest, much less backlash against Lin Yang.

Lin Yang activated Nine Forests Hundred Soul Devouring and slowly extracted the Void Swallowing Flame's soul origin.

The extraction process was like being carved apart inch by inch with a dull blade, incomparably painful.

However, Lin Yang did not care in the slightest and steadily extracted its soul-origin power bit by bit.

Time slowly passed.

A day and a night later.

Lin Yang finally completely devoured the Void Swallowing Flame's soul, swallowing its memories into his sea of consciousness as well.

At this moment, as expected, Lin Yang's soul realm had broken through to the Emperor Realm.

He had also committed the Void Swallowing Flame's commonly used techniques, Void Heaven-Swallowing Slash and Shadowless Formless, to memory.

However, he would need to devour the Void Swallowing Flame and fully grasp the Laws of Nothingness before he could use either of these Dou Techniques.

"Clan Chief Gu, Commander Gu Lie, Seniors Three Immortals, thank you for your help. Once I devour the Void Swallowing Flame, Senior Gu Yuan and I will visit the Thunder Clan again and try to obtain the Ancient Emperor Jade for the Ancient Clan," Lin Yang said, slowly withdrawing his cultivation and cupping his fists toward them.

"Good. I'll wait for you," Gu Yuan said.

"Then, Clan Chief Gu, you can all return. I'll continue my seclusion and refine the Void Swallowing Flame," Lin Yang said.

"Mm, we'll be leaving."

"Mm."

After Gu Yuan and the others left, Lin Yang adjusted his breathing for a moment before taking out the Void Swallowing Flame and beginning to devour it.

Without its soul, the Void Swallowing Flame was nothing more than a large piece of sizzling pork. He only needed to eat it.

As time passed,

a day later.

A perfected late Nine-Star Dou Saint aura suddenly erupted from Lin Yang's body.

The pressure of a late Nine-Star Dou Saint swept out from the secret chamber and filled the entire Ancient Clan.

Gu Yuan was discussing with Gu Lie how to find Soul Tian Di and obtain the Soul Clan's Ancient Emperor Jade.

Sensing the pressure, they immediately flashed toward Lin Yang's location.

Lin Yang opened his eyes and slowly withdrew his pressure and aura.

His body trembled slightly, and countless explosive crackles rang out from within him.

After exhaling the accumulated breath from his chest, Lin Yang rose and walked out of the secret chamber.

Gu Yuan and the others were waiting quietly outside.

"Young Friend Lin, congratulations. Perfected late Nine-Star Dou Saint. With another stroke of fortune, I fear you'll be at the same realm as me," Gu Yuan said, lightly cupping his fists.

Lin Yang smiled. "It is all thanks to Clan Chief Gu's guidance. Lin Yang will remember it."

Gu Yuan smiled. "You brat. Alright, let's go. Come with me to the Thunder Clan for another discussion. You and I will each offer a drop of essence blood and see whether we can obtain the Ancient Emperor Jade."

"Mm, alright."

Elsewhere, after half a month of cultivation, Soul Tian Di's strength had increased considerably.

Though he had not yet reached the Half-Emperor Realm,

if he faced Gu Yuan again now, he could completely suppress him in battle.

However, Soul Tian Di was not a reckless fool. He currently had neither troops nor subordinates, while Gu Yuan and Lin Yang were both sinister and cunning. That Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus had filled him with rage.

Until he reached the Half-Emperor Realm, Soul Tian Di had no intention of seeking revenge against Gu Yuan and Lin Yang.

For now, he would continue cultivating.

Just then, the Great Villain System suddenly issued a system mission.

Detected that the host is in the Jia Ma Empire. There is a female villain with excellent aptitude nearby. Please go to the Nalan Clan and accept Nalan Yanran as a disciple. Mission reward: Immortal King's Corpse Shroud.

Soul Tian Di was slightly stunned upon hearing the prompt. A system mission was somewhat interesting, but what the hell was an Immortal King's Corpse Shroud?

"System, what is the Immortal King's Corpse Shroud?" Soul Tian Di asked inwardly.

"Ding. The Immortal King's Corpse Shroud is a top-tier magic treasure. By activating the corpse shroud, you can summon the dharma bodies of two Immortal Kings to attack or defend. Its power far surpasses the Emperor Soul Banner."

"What? Its power far surpasses the Emperor Soul Banner? Then why would I wait to break through to Half-Emperor? Once I obtain the corpse shroud, I'll attack the Ancient Clan directly. Lin Yang, Gu Yuan, prepare to die."

Soul Tian Di muttered before immediately flashing over to the Nalan Clan.